NPR report:Loophole Or Workaround? (Food Stamp Edition)

NPR reports: In the debate over whether to cut the food stamp program, members of Congress are looking at two pretty arcane provisions in the law. People who want to cut food stamps call the provisions loopholes. People who don't want to cut food stamps say they're efficient ways to get benefits to those who need them most.

For the audio link or to read the whole story, go click here.

News to Food Stamp (SNAP) recipients in Ocean County

From the Ocean County Board of Social Services:

The state of New Jersey has committed to issuing an additional amount of food stamps to all food stamps households that received food stamps in October 2012 in order to help replace food lost during the recent hurricane, based on an agreement with Ocean County.

Every food stamp “SNAP” household active in the month of October will receive an additional amount equal to 25% of the amount they received in October.

This will be an automatic issuance.  You do not have to come to or call the agency to receive these enefits.  The benefits will be automatically added to your family’s first account “after” November 26, 2012 when the state system will automatically issue the benefit.

Households that are not active in the month of October and wish to apply for disaster related food stamp benefits, cannot do so at this time. Instructions are pending from the state and will require applications and verifications, since those persons are not food stamp households.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Food stamps - SNAP

Here is a link to the Department of Human Services NJ SNAP (food stamps) program with Spanish links. Click here
http://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dfd/programs/njsnap/

Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties help you navigate the programs

The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties has a page to help people navigate thru the assistance programs, especially the food stamp application process (SNAP.)  It is also in Spanish.

Click here.

SNAP (Food stamps) for disaster relief in NJ

ATTENTION: Emergency Food Providers and Advocates
Please inform your clients and partner agencies!!

People in NJ that suffered property loss and/or damage in Hurricane Irene may be eligible for Disaster SNAP/Food Stamps!!
Those not currently receiving food stamps can apply with eased requirements and documentations.
All those eligible for Disaster SNAP/Food Stamps must apply as soon as possible:
Passaic County can apply from 9/7-9/15
Bergen, Essex, Morris and Somerset can apply from 9/8-9/16
All other counties can apply from 9/12-9/20
People can apply at designated sites throughout the state. To find a site in your area and for more information, log onto www.njsnap.org
Please circulate to anyone who can utilize this benefit.

Note: Current recipients of NJ SNAP benefits will not automatically receive supplemental benefits. Affidavits will have to be completed by them and submitted to the county welfare agency by 9/22/11. The affidavit will be available after Monday on www.njsnap.org and www.co.ocean.nj.us/SocialServices/. As we identify other places where the affidavit may be obtained we will keep you informed.

Many thanks,
Shailja Mathur M.S., M.Ed., RD
Senior Project Administrator

NJ SNAP-Ed Support Network
New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station-RCE

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Department of Nutritional Sciences
11 Suydam Street- Willets Hall (2nd floor)
New Brunswick, NJ 08901