The approximately 277,000 Washington households receiving Basic Food benefits will receive additional funds for March and April to help them through struggles during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release Thursday from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

“Having the ability to purchase more healthy food is critically important during these unprecedented times,” the department’s Community Services Division Director Babs Roberts said in the release. “We’re glad the U.S. Congress extended these emergency benefits to Washington residents. This can help people to reduce the number of times they need to go shopping for groceries and also limit the number of people in stores, helping keep us all safe and healthy at home.”

Recipients will receive the maximum benefit amount for their household size — $355 for a two-person household — the release said.

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The additional benefits should show up on EBT cards on April 4, according to the release, unless normal benefits show up later in the month, in which case the additional amount would be included with the usual benefits.

The benefits do not have to be paid back and do not affect any recipients’ immigration status, the release stated. If Congress extends these additional benefits in future months because of COVID-19, extra benefits for those months will be issued.

Recipients can call the number on their EBT card to check the balance or access their client benefit account at washingtonconnection.org/.