More than $317 million will be provided to the emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits through the month of May as the state continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced the extension of the benefits and the funding that is provided by his office and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in a Friday news release.

The allotments are expected to help about 1.6 million Texas households, the release stated.

The emergency May allotments are in addition to the more than $6.7 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020, the news release stated.

Through the extension, recipients of SNAP benefits will receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments that should appear in recipients’ accounts by May 31.

SNAP provides food assistance to more than 1.5 million eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas. Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com.