SNAP Benefits for Those Who Lost Food Because of Power Outages. North Dakotans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) facing food losses due to recent power outages have the opportunity to qualify for SNAP replacement benefits. It is crucial for affected households to take prompt action to avail themselves of this assistance.

Eligibility Criteria and Timeframe

SNAP households residing in specific counties – Barnes, Cass, Ransom, Traill, Dickey, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Griggs, Stutsman, or Grand Forks – and experiencing power outages exceeding four hours are eligible. These households have a window of 10 days from the date of food loss to request replacement benefits.

Reporting Food Loss

To initiate the replacement benefits process, impacted SNAP households must promptly report their food loss to the HHS Customer Support Center. This can be done via email at [email protected], phone at (866) 614-6005 or (701) 328-1000, 711 (TTY), or by mail to Customer Support Center, P.O. Box 5562, Bismarck ND 58506. Alternatively, reporting the loss at the local human service zone office during regular business hours is an option.

Replacement Calculation

The program ensures replacement benefits equivalent to the verified food loss, up to the household’s monthly benefit amount. For instance, if a household reports a food loss of $50 and had received $100 in SNAP benefits for December, $50 in replacement benefits will be issued once the loss is verified. Importantly, the replacement amount cannot exceed the December SNAP benefit amount received by the household.

Conclusion

This initiative aims to alleviate the impact of food loss resulting from power outages for SNAP participants in specified North Dakota counties. Time is of the essence, and affected individuals are encouraged to promptly reach out to the HHS Customer Support Center or their local human service zone office for assistance. Additional information is available online at hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap.