NC Offers Disaster Food Benefits to Hurricane-Impacted Households

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has initiated a one-time disaster supplement program to aid households already benefiting from Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) in 23 counties affected by Hurricane Helene. This financial assistance was automatically added to participants’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards on Sunday, making it immediately available for purchase use. Beneficiaries do not need to take any additional steps to receive this aid.

Amounting to over $16 million, this supplemental benefit targets 68,000 households and 135,000 FNS participants in western North Carolina. The aid aims to elevate the monthly benefits of FNS recipients to the maximum allowable level for one month.

“We are pulling every lever we can to provide support for people and families impacted by Hurricane Helene,” said Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “Our commitment to helping communities rebuild and recover from Hurricane Helene includes ensuring no one goes hungry during this challenging time.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted NCDHHS the authority to issue this supplemental benefit for one month. The goal is to ensure ongoing SNAP households receive the same level of support as those newly eligible for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits due to the hurricane. These supplements are intended to bring benefits up to the maximum amount for those not already at that level.

The benefit adjustments are as follows: individuals will receive up to $292, families of four will be brought up to $975, and households of seven will receive $1,536. These amounts are based on the benefits received in September. Households already at the maximum benefit level are not eligible for this additional support.

The 23 counties approved for this one-time benefit by the USDA include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties.

For further information regarding disaster supplements and eligibility, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/fns or contact your local DSS office. To learn more about Hurricane Helene and additional resources available, go to www.ncdhhs.gov/helene or www.ncdps.gov/helene.

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