Food Assistance Benefits Offered for Sandy Victims

Those temporarily facing hunger because superstorm Sandy exhausted their resources can apply for an assistance program beginning Monday.

Benefits for those not already enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue through Dec. 4. Disaster SNAP is available to those who are at risk of hunger because disaster recovery expenses has left them without enough money to buy food or those who were without power and lost food supplies.

D-SNAP applications will be accepted on the following schedule:

• If your last name begins with the letters A-M: Monday, Nov. 26; Wednesday, Nov. 28; Friday, Nov. 30; Tuesday, Dec. 4. 
• If your last name begins with the letters N-Z: Tuesday, Nov. 2; Thursday, Nov. 29; Monday, Dec. 3; Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Applications will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the following Monmouth County locations:

• Asbury Park City Hall, 1 Municipal Plaza, Asbury Park;
• Monmouth County Fire Academy, 1027 Route 33 East, Howell;
• Bayshore Senior Center, 100 Main St., Keansburg;
• Croydon Hall, 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo section of Middletown;
• Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Road, Manalapan (extended hours to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28 and Thursday, Nov. 29 only)
• Red Bank Resource Network, 103 Shrewsbury Ave., Red Bank;
• Wall Township Municipal Complex, 2700 Allaire Road, Wall.
• Toms River Ocean County Library, Washington Street.

Strict criteria must be met in order for people to qualify; specifically, applicants must provide:

• Identification and proof of residency – a driver’s license, for example, would serve as both.
• 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 a $2,965 limit with a $367 benefit; a family of three is a $3,416 limit with a $526 benefit; and, a family of four is a $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. Related expenses may include: temporary shelter in a motel, Home/business repairs, evacuation expenses, disaster clean up expenses, disaster related vehicle repairs, gasoline for a generator, and replacement of personal items, such as clothing or household items, such as appliances, tools, educational materials.

Eligible recipients will receive their benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer card that only can be used for the purchase of grocery food items.

For additional information, visit www.njsnap.org.