UPDATED: USDA Approves Emergency Food Benefits for Matthew Victims

By Rose Hoban

Residents of areas affected by Hurricane Matthew will be eligible for emergency food benefits through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Disaster Food and Nutrition Services Program, state officials announced Friday afternoon.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP ) logo

State officials held a late afternoon phone conference to detail the emergency program, which will provide people in 18 counties who are currently not receiving benefits Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (also known as food stamps) with a way to get food.

“Folks who have been impacted by flooding, lost food, lost their home, significant loss of jobs, or other impacts are eligible and can apply for assistance with the disaster application process,” said Wayne Black, director for social services and county operations for the state Department of Health and Human Services.

People who simply lost all their food because power to their homes was out for more than 8 hours are eligible, along with the people who have had more significant losses of property.

The application period is short – only from Saturday through Wednesday – so people will need to act fast.

“There’s another part of this… current recipients of Food and Nutrition Services will receive the maximum benefit, based on their household side… automatically through our NC FAST system a supplement,” Black said. He emphasized that those folks do not have to come in to apply for extra benefits, but the benefit will be applied directly to their Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.

To be determine eligibility, applicants for the disaster benefits will need to provide:

Identification: Photo ID or any other document that verifies your identity
Residency (if possible)
Utility bills, tax bills, or insurance policies, or a collateral (friend, employer, pastor, etc.);
Social Security Number and date of birth for each household member (do not need Social Security Cards, just the number);
Amount of take home pay for each household member

“With the D-SNAP program, many of the normal qualifications will be waived by the USDA,” said David Locklear, the chief of economic services for the state Division of Social Services. “Therefore, we will be accepting the client’s statement for other verification, other than identification.”

Locations for receiving applications will only be open for a few days, and they can get help for a one-month certification. (see table below)

“Individuals who wish to be considered for ongoing eligibility would have to return to their social services agency to apply for the regular food and nutrition services program,” Locklear said.

After Hurricanes Floyd, Fran and Irene, people in affected counties were eligible for similar benefits. Wayne said about 98,000 people received the disaster food relief after Floyd in 1999.

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Your liquid resources (cash readily available and all funds in checking and saving accounts) must be less than $2,250 ($3,250 or less if someone in your household is age 60 or older).

Your total income received (or expected to be received) between October 8, 2016 through November 6, 2016, minus a deduction for disaster-related expenses and shelter expenses, shall not exceed federal income limits.

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AS OF NOV. 7, additional counties have been added. Application sites will operate for five non-consecutive days, Wednesday, Nov. 9 through Thursday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 14 through Wednesday, Nov. 16, for the eight additional counties.

County	Location	Hours of Operation	Service Dates
Anson	Anson County DSS 118 N. Washington St. Wadesboro, NC 28170	8 a.m. – 6 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Carteret	Carteret County DSS 210 Craven St. Beaufort, NC 28516	8 a.m. – 5 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Chatham	Chatham County DSS 102 Camp Drive Pittsboro, NC 27312	8 a.m.- 6 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Hertford	Hertford County DSS 800 E. Taylor St. Winton, NC 27986	8 a.m. – 6 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Northampton	Northampton County DSS 9488 NC Hwy 305 Jackson, NC 27845	8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Perquimans	Perquimans County DSS 103 Charles Street Hertford, NC 27944	8 a.m. – 7 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Richmond	Richmond County Human Services Building 125 Caroline Street Rockingham, NC 28379	8 a.m. – 6 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16
Scotland	Scotland County DSS 1405 West Blvd. Laurinburg, NC 28352	8 a.m. – 6 p.m.	Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Thursday, Nov. 10 And Monday, Nov. 14 – Wednesday, Nov. 16

County	Location	Service Dates	Hours of Operation
Beaufort	Beaufort County DSS 632 W 5^th St. Washington, NC 27889	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Beaufort	Chocowinity Fire Dept. 512 NC Hwy 33 E Chocowinity, NC 27817	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Beaufort	Aurora Community Center Pearl St. Aurora, NC 27806	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Bladen	Bladen County DSS 208 East McKay St. Elizabethtown, NC 28337	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bladen	Tar Heel Fire Dept. 269 Tar Heel Ferry Road Tar Heel, NC 28392	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bladen	Bladenboro Fire Dept. 519 West Seaboard St. Bladenboro, NC 28320	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bladen	Lower Bladen Co. (Communities Citizen Building) 153 Lightwood Knot road Kelly, NC 28448	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bladen	Powell-Melvin Center 450 Smith Circle Dr. Elizabethtown, NC 28337	10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Columbus	Columbus County DSS 40 Government Complex Road Whiteville, NC 28472	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland	Cumberland Co. DSS 1225 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland	St. Luke’s AME Church 522 Hillsboro St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 *NOTE: For Individuals over 60 and those with mobility issues ONLY	10/22/16 – 10/24/16 & 10/26/16	Sat., Mon., Tues., Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 5;00 p.mSun. 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m..
Dare	Manteo Office 107 Exeter St. Manteo, NC 27954	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Dare	Hatteras Island-Frisco Satellite Office 50347 NC Highway 12 Frisco, NC 27936	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Duplin	Duplin County DSS 423 N. Main St. Kenansville, NC 28349	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Greene	Greene County DSS 227 Kingold Blvd. Snow Hill, NC 28580	10/22/16	9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Greene	Greene County Community Center 814 West Harper St. Snow Hill, NC 28580	10/23/16 – 10/26/16	9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Harnett	Harnett County Cooperative Extension 126 Alexander Drive Lillington, NC 27546	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hoke	Hoke County DSS 314 S. Magnolia Street Raeford, NC 28376	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Hoke	Senior Services 423 E. Central Ave. Raeford, NC 28379 *Note for citizens 65 and over, and citizens with medical devices ONLY	10/22/16 and 10/24/16 – 10/26/16 (Sat., Mon.- Wed.)	7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Hyde	Hyde County DSS 35015 US Hwy 264 Engelhard, NC 27924	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Sat.) 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Sun. – Wed.)
Hyde	Ocracoke Community Center 999 Irvin Garrish Hwy Ocracoke NC 27960	10/25/16 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Tue.) 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Wed.)
Johnston	Johnston County DSS 714 North Street Smithfield, NC 27577	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Jones	Jones County Civic Ctr 832 NC Hwy 58 Trenton NC 28585	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Lenoir	Vernon Park Mall (old Eckerd’s) 834 Hardee Rd Kinston, NC 28054	10/22/16 (Sat.) 10/23/16 (Sun.) 10/24/16 – 10/26/16 (M-W)	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sat. 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sun 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M-W
Lenoir	Lagrange Community Bld. 410 E. Washington St. LaGrange, NC 28551	10/22/16 (Sat.) 10/23/16 (Sun.) 10/24/16 – 10/26/16 (M-W)	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sat. 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sun 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M-W
Lenoir	Pink Hill Town Hall 303 Central Ave. Pink Hill, NC 28572	10/22/16 (Sat.) 10/23/16 (Sun.) 10/24/16 – 10/26/16 (M-W)	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sat. 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sun 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M-W
Pender	Pender County Cooperative Ext. 801 South Walker St. Burgaw, NC 28425	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Robeson	Robeson County DSS 120 Glen Cowan Road Lumberton, NC 28360	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sampson	Sampson Co. Agri-Exposition Center Heritage Hall 414 Warsaw Road Clinton, NC 28328	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tyrrell	Tyrell County DSS (new office) 1208 US Hwy 64 E. Columbia, NC 27925	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wayne	Wayne County Agri. Center 208 W. Chestnut Goldsboro, NC 27533	10/22/16 – 10/26/16	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Read all of our joint coverage with The Charlotte Ledger here.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

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AS OF NOV. 7, additional counties have been added. Application sites will operate for five non-consecutive days, Wednesday, Nov. 9 through Thursday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 14 through Wednesday, Nov. 16, for the eight additional counties.

Rose Hoban

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