Extra SNAP (food stamps) benefits, post-Irene

[Roger Senserrich - CAHS]

From the Department of Social Services:

 

We have received approval from FNS to automatically mass reissue 25% of our SNAP households’ August benefits to help with food losses caused by Tropical Storm Irene.

• All Connecticut households who received SNAP when Tropical Storm Irene hit the state automatically received these additional benefits. 
• These benefits were automatically added to SNAP household’s EBT accounts and are available today. 
• JP Morgan is updating their telephone message for SNAP clients who call in to check their accounts to inform them that we’ve added these benefits to their accounts.

While this 25% automatic mass SNAP benefit reissuance will help many households with food losses, some SNAP households may have lost food purchased with SNAP valued at more than 25% of their August benefits. 

• These households can request additional individual replacement SNAP benefits above the 25% already provided. 
• The amount of the individual request must be based on the value of food purchased with SNAP that was lost due to the storm.
• The amount of the 25% mass reissuance, plus the individual replacement request, cannot be more than their August benefit amount.

2-1-1 Infoline will be the point of contact for reports of food losses and the return of Request Forms.  Effective immediately, please refer any requests for individual SNAP replacement benefits to 2-1-1 Infoline. 

• Households must report food losses to 2-1-1 Infoline no later than 4:30 pm on September 19, 2011. 
• Households must return a completed Request Form that 2-1-1 Infoline will provide to them within 10 days of the date that they reported the food loss.
• 2-1-1 is the point of return for all Request Forms. 
• Households will be directed to return Request Forms to 2-1-1 Infoline (2-1-1 will provide a prepaid return envelope).
• If a household returns a Request Form to you in error, please date stamp the form and forward it to 2-1-1 Infoline at

2-1-1 Infoline

• 2-1-1 Infoline will log reports of food losses and subsequent receipt of Request Forms.
• 2-1-1 Infoline will forward Request Forms to the C.O. Central Processing Unit (CPU). 
• The CPU will process these Request Forms, issuing individual replacement benefits to eligible households and denying requests from ineligible households.