Newsroom > DHHS News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2008

CONTACT
Kathie Osterman, Communications and Legislative Services, (402) 471-9313 or (402) 326-4277

Lincoln – The Department of Health and Human Services has heard that some current Food Stamp recipients who had storm damage are concerned because only a portion of their disaster benefits are showing up on their EBT card.

This is possible due to the way states are required to process the federal disaster Food Stamp assistance. The benefit is loaded into two different systems and the timing of the entry may cause one portion of the benefit to appear before the other.

• The first part of the disaster assistance is a replacement of the regular June Food Stamp benefit received in June.
• The second part of the disaster assistance is the supplemental benefit added to June's replacement amount.
• The two added together (the replacement benefit and supplemental benefit) total the federal disaster Food Stamp assistance amount for the household.

For example:

A three-person family received a June regular Food Stamp benefit of $200. They are eligible for disaster benefits because they lived in the storm area and experienced a storm-related expense. The total disaster assistance amount for a family of three is $426.

$200 of the $426 disaster benefit must be reported to the federal government as a replacement. The remaining $226 of the disaster benefit must be reported as a supplemental benefit. Because these must be processed separately, one may appear on the EBT card before the other.

DHHS asks that families be patient. The second part (supplemental benefit) of their assistance should appear within an additional 2-3 days. Families can call 1- 877-247-6328 or check their account balance at grocery stores.

###