Pat Traynor, Health and Human Services Interim Commissioner | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
Pat Traynor, Health and Human Services Interim Commissioner | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that residents participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who lost food due to power outages from recent storms may qualify for replacement benefits. The affected storms include tornadoes, windstorms, and hail that occurred in June.
Households experiencing power loss for more than four hours have until June 30, 2025, to apply for these benefits. HHS has verified county-wide power outage information, allowing households in specific counties to request benefits without additional verification of food loss. These counties are Barnes, Burleigh, Cass, Foster, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, Logan, Morton, Ransom, Sioux, Steele, Stutsman and Traill.
For SNAP participants residing in other North Dakota counties who suffered food loss due to outages lasting four hours or more must provide verification from their power company. This could be through website updates or text notifications indicating a power outage.
To request replacement benefits, impacted households should submit a completed Request for Replacement Due to Loss of SNAP Benefits form (SFN 270) within ten days of reporting the loss. Submissions can be made via the Self-Service Portal (SSP), email at applyforhelp@nd.gov or by returning it to a human service zone office.
The Customer Support Center is also available for assistance by email at applyforhelp@nd.gov or phone Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT at (866) 614-6005 or (701) 328-1000. TTY users can dial 711 or send mail to P.O. Box 5562 Bismarck ND 58506.
The program will replace the reported food loss amount up to the monthly benefit amount received by the household. For instance, if a household reports losing $250 worth of food and received $300 in SNAP benefits for that month; they will receive $250 once verified.
The maximum replacement cannot exceed one month's SNAP benefit amount previously received by the household. Additional information is available online at hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap or through contacting the Customer Support Center or local human service zone office.
North Dakotans affected by this disaster who are struggling can reach out for support through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline via call text chat on their platform.
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