The people of western North Carolina are working hard to rebuild that part of the state, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene, and, on Monday, Oct. 14, the state announced more help in feeding the people as the rebuilding goes on.
Residents in 25 western counties – as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians hit by Hurricane Helene – can now apply for help buying food through the state’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – also known as D-SNAP – which will kick into gear on Friday, Oct. 18.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (NC DHHS) October 14 announcement, D-SNAP is open to individuals and households who are not currently receiving Food and Nutrition Services benefits and who were impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The department currently estimates that more than 150,000 people will apply for up to $120 million in benefits from this program.
NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley said the department and the state are strongly committed to the recovery effort in the western part of the state.
“We are making up to $120 million available to more than 150,000 individuals to buy food for their families — an essential step on the road to recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Helene,” Kinsley said on Monday. “We are committed to using every tool to support the recovery of our friends, families, and fellow North Carolinians in western NC — now and for the long haul.”
NC DHHS has received federal approval to begin phase one of the program that emanates from the US Department of Agriculture..
People can start applying for assistance three days before the program starts during online pre-registration beginning October 15 and they’ll have seven days from the start of the program to apply. The application period will close on Thursday, Oct. 24.
According to the press release announcing the program, “Eligible households will be notified within three days of completing the application and receive a one-time benefit on a special debit card (called an Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT card) to help buy food. The exact amount will depend on household size, income and disaster losses. While there are income eligibility standards, a number of considerations are taken into account. Individuals above these limits may still be eligible dependent on disaster expenses, so we encourage everyone who needs support to purchase food to begin their application by calling the D-SNAP Virtual Call Center at 1-844-453-1117.”
The benefits will remain in place for up to nine months. Benefit cards will be available for pick up at the D-SNAP locations in applicable counties – or program users can get the EBT cards mailed to them overnight at an address they specify
Here are the eligibility requirements. To get the aid, you must:
- Live in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey Counties or be a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians living in zip code 28719.
- Have suffered losses/damages related to Hurricane Helene, such as damage to property or loss of income.
- Have proof of identity and proof of residency (if available).
- Have income and resources below certain levels.
- Not currently be receiving benefits through the Food and Nutrition Services program. (People receiving help through that program can also get extra help buying food, but they don’t need to fill out a D-SNAP application. They can get more information about how to get the extra help on the FNS webpage.)
Those who are eligible are being encouraged to apply for D-SNAP by phone, when possible, by calling the D-SNAP call center at 1-844-453-1117. The D-SNAP call center will be open the following hours:
Weekdays (Friday, Oct. 18; Monday, Oct. 21; Tuesday, Oct. 22; Wednesday, Oct. 23; and Thursday, Oct. 24) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Those eligible can also use the online ePASS Pre-Registration Tool, which will open up on Tuesday, Oct. 15 and close on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Once the pre-registration is completed, applicants will be issued a confirmation number and will need to call 1-844-453-1117 between October 18 and October 24 to complete the interview part of the application.
Residents can also apply for D-SNAP in person at some locations.
Is internet and cell phone service active for all these people?
As hard as they were making it for Musk to deploy Starlink terminals I’m sure there are a lot of people without internet and phone service are still awaiting help. So, IF you can get online or to a working phone and IF you can do it at the proscribed times and you manage to find your ID you might get an EBT card that you’ll be able to use at a grocery store IF you can find one not destroyed in the storm, and assuming the store has Internet or phone connections so the card can be debited.
I am sure they have top-notch people handling the interviews, top-notch evaluators and expidited mail delivery to… possibly no longer existing addresses.
Of course I am sure the cost of administering this munificent program will be included in the $120 million all9cated.
No. They haven’t even gotten to everyone yet. Many won’t even know about this as nobody has time for playing online even if they do have power and internet. Star Link has been set up in some counties at fire departments and such, but if everyone is sharing it how will that work? Seems that those who have never gotten paid of any kind may know even less about where to look?
They don’t even have the internet or electricity to hear about the program. They don’t have a car to go pick up the cards, they don’t have roads to drive on.
Is FEMA going to go out to help them apply for this help with computers connected to the internet or cell phones by satellite? Will they notify those who are qualified or need to provide more info, take the cards to people whose address was washed down the mountain, and have no transportation?
But this is “misinformation”. We shall not speak of it.
They actually do reach out to people directly to help them register. What are you going on about? Maybe you should look these things up on google before assuming the worst. What you are doing is asking a valid question (not misinformation), but the answer was easy to find if you really cared.
Chris, the government can say anything about providing help, but the facts are what is important. How many government workers involved in the effort, how many hours have been expended in the effort, how many affected by Helene have been reached, how long will the effort continue? Adherence to factual answers to these questions will reveal the integrity of the effort. Check Google? You joke.
So people who probably don’t have access to internet or phone service, or at least have limited access, are supposed to call on specific dates at specific times to apply for this relief.
And on top of that, they are supposed to pass some sort preregistration criteria only to hopefully get through to the final round to complete the final portion of the application.
What a joke.
Meanwhile people who already receive SNAP benefits will receive additional resources without having to do anything additional. Which is good because I would hate to ask for people receiving assistance from my tax dollars to be troubled. However, people impacted by this storm better pass muster before we give them a dime.
I would like to see some actual receipts on how this 120 million is spent. Of course that will never happen.
Amen !
And those people without electricity, internet connection, roads, or cars because all that has been washed away are being notified about this program in what way? And how are they supposed to get to the centers to pick up their D-SNAP cards?
None of this makes sense to me. Why aren’t social workers and FEMA people going TO the people and filling out the applications for them on internet computers that work off satellite feeds? Why aren’t they offering to qualify them on the spot? Why aren’t they offering to deliver cards to these people? Do they have any idea the problems the people up there are having? Are they watching the same videos we are watching from the people in the mountains?
I understand they are offering help but like alot of people that are like me I am a felon and I can not get no help because of a charge that is 20 yrs old . But they will help child predators. We’re is this right in anybody eyes we need help also
I’m inclined to agree with you, Billy.
Government priorities are upside down.
A couple who experienced Helene’s violence explain what is needed. https://www.foxnews.com/us/family-lost-11-hurricane-helene-mudslides-says-community-sacrificed-life-limb-save-each-other.
Denied food is crazy I live in Cleveland county I work in three all food away a week no power and I can not find help
Methinks that much of this money will be “lost in translation”.
Some three weeks ago, in those Helene-destroyed areas; many had no power or water, but did not suffer the humid warm climate; but now, temps are below freezing. Without a fireplace or some type of indoor fueled heater, they are SOL.
We have a gaslog fireplace, quite sufficient to warm one or two rooms. So long as we have natural gas.