East Texas households affected by prolonged and food spoiled by the heat can apply for SNAP Alternative Benefits.
SNAP recipients can call 211 to request replacements for food lost due to winter weather
“We hope the SNAP Alternative Benefits will help families in Texas who may have been affected by the recent winter storms. It will help supplement nutritious foods,” said Wayne Salter, deputy executive director of HHS Access and Entitlement Services in Texas. SNAP beneficiaries in the 67 counties have until February 28 to apply for alternative benefits for regular SNAP grants and emergency SNAP grants.
The Department of Health and Human Services also said employees are awaiting federal approval to give SNAP customers more time to report their food lost
SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a program that provides food aid to help low-income families and improve their food costs.
HHSC officials said SNAP recipients who do not live in any of those 67 counties must apply for a replacement benefit within 10 days of discovering that their food was lost or damaged or destroyed by a storm. “During last week’s ice storm, localized power outages may have left Texas homes without food,” Governor Greg Abbott said.
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