SNAP recipients have extension to apply for replacement benefits
July 16, 2012 ·
West Virginians on public assistance who lost food because of storm-driven power failures have been granted an extension to apply for replacement food stamps.
The Department of Health
and Human Resources has extended its deadline to help families on the
Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP.
Any SNAP recipient who lost food
after the June 29 storm can apply for replacement benefits through their local
DHHR office.
“That door is open to
apply until June 30,” said Dan Holstein, Raleigh County Community Service Manager
in the DHHR Bureau of Children and Families.
“So my advice to all of
our recipients out there of SNAP benefits is that if they lost their food to
come in now and make their application for replacements because once that door
closes on the 30th, they may not be able to do that again.”
Holstein says close to 4000
recipients have come through his small office since the storm that initially
left 680,000 West Virginians without power.
“The people who came in
the first few days asking for help, a lot of times their benefits may have been
$300 a month but they’d only ask for say, $45,” said Holstein.
“That impressed me. They
were honest about what they truly lost and they really needed help,” he said.
“The public sometimes has
this concept that SNAP recipients are all just
grabbing and taking. But when you talked to them you knew they were desperate
and remained honest even while desperate.”
Holstein estimates another 3000
families in Raleigh County alone are eligible for
the replacement food stamps.