Food assistance available to disaster victims, applications taken from Tuesday-Thursday

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According to state DSS spokeswoman Marilyn M. Matheus, the department has activated the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a result of the activation of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This means Clarendon residents may now file for "temporary food stamps," and those already receiving such benefits can apply for a supplement. Affidavits of Loss must be filled out at the local DSS office during regular hours from Tuesday through Thursday. Please read the rest of this post for all relevant information and to find what you will need to bring in. On Oct. 20, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service approved Clarendon and 19 other counties for the assistance as a result of the 1,000-year flood. What this means is that ANY household which resided within one of the designated counties at the time of the flooding, and which suffered unreimbursed disaster losses, may be eligible to receive temporary DSNAP assistance. DSNAP benefits are provided via an electronic debit-like card and can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers. Residents in any of the designated counties who meet the DSNAP income guidelines may be eligible if the household experienced at least one of the following conditions as a direct result of the storms earlier this month: Damage to or destruction of the home. Loss or inaccessibility of income, including a reduction or termination of income or a significant delay in receiving income due to disaster related problems. Disaster-related expenses (home or business repairs, temporary shelter, evacuation, etc.) that are not expected to be reimbursed during the disaster benefit period. Applicants must have suffered a loss related to the flooding to be eligible for the DSNAP benefits. Households applying for Disaster SNAP must actually have lived in the disaster area at the time of the storms and must have suffered loss or damages. Applicants should be prepared to provide the following: Proof of identity. Proof of income. Proof of the value of unreimbursed damages incurred as a direct result of the storm. Proof of loss or inaccessibility of income. All applications are subject to review. If it is determined that an applicant received benefits that he/she was not entitled to, the applicant will be required to pay them back. Current SNAP recipients in Manning, Summerton, Pinewood and New Zion do not need to come to a local county office to receive DSNAP benefits; they will automatically receive a supplement on their EBC cards. Current SNP recipients in Clarendon County who do not live within the towns listed above and who suffered a disaster loss may go to the designated site in their county of residence and file an Affidavit of Loss to request a supplement of their October SNAP benefits.