Ocean City locations open for disaster food stamps

Written by Staff Reports Monday, November 26, 2012 01:00 am

Ocean City Community Center location open for disaster food stamp assistance for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

The Cape May County Board of Social Services will be taking Disaster Food Stamp Assistance applications for those affected by Hurricane Sandy now through Dec. 4. 

The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) is administered by the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services, through the Department of Human Services and the counties’ boards of social services.

Eligible recipients will receive their benefits on an electronic benefits transfer card that can only be used for the purchase of grocery food items.
Applications and assistance will be available 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 26-29 for last names beginning A-I, Nov. 27-30 for last names beginning J-Q, and Nov. 28-Dec. 3 for last names beginning R-Z, at the Cape May County Board of Social Services building, 4005 Route 9 South in Rio Grande.

Applications will be taken 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 26-29 for last names beginning A-I, Nov. 27-30 for last names beginning J-Q, and Nov. 28-Dec. 3 for last names beginning R-Z, at Ocean City Library, 1735 Simpson Ave. in Ocean City.

Dec. 4 will be a make up day at both locations.

The multiple locations will provide easy access for eligible county residents, who experienced extreme material losses during Hurricane Sandy or subsequent flooding, to apply for food assistance.

Additionally, applications will be taken 9:30 a.m.-noon  at senior centers for the elderly and disabled population:
Nov. 26-29 at the Lower Cape Senior Center, 2612 Bayshore Road in Villas;
Nov. 27-30 at the Ocean City Senior Center, 1735 Simpson Ave. in Ocean City; and

Nov. 28-Dec. 3 at the North Wildwood Senior Center inside the North Wildwood Recreation Center Building, 10th and Central avenues in North Wildwood.

Application rules and eligibility for D-SNAP have been modified based on lessons learned after Tropical Storm Irene in September 2011. Misinformation about the program caused long lines at designated application sites and created a potential for fraudulent activity. This year, strict criteria must be met in order for people to qualify.
Current SNAP recipients should not apply for this program because they already received a 30 percent October replacement allocation on their EBT card and will receive a supplemental benefit by Dec. 7.
Under the new rules, applicants must provide:

Identification and proof of residency

Pay stubs and bank statements (cash, checking and savings) for the 30 days from Oct. 28 through Nov. 26. Under the guidelines, for a family of one, the income limit is $2,268 with a benefit of $200; a family of two is $2,965 limit with a $367 benefit; a family of three is $3,416 limit with a $526 benefit; and, a family of four is $4,034 limit with a $668 benefit.

Receipts that show more than $100 spent on disaster-related expenses between Oct. 28 and Nov. 26. The cost of replacing food cannot be included in the $100, but restaurant expenses are allowed.

If any of the purchases were charged to a credit card, the resident must be able to document that they paid the credit card bill for these items by Nov. 26.
Applications must be received during this enrollment period.

For additional information, call 609-886-6200.