USDA eases program rules for South Carolina SNAP participants impacted by Florence

The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted flexibility to allow South Carolina residents to replace food purchased with SNAP benefits that was lost due to power outages and flooding caused by Hurricane Florence. Over 185,000 impacted households in 26 counties now have until Oct. 15, 2018 to report food loss to the state and request replacement benefits.

SNAP regulations normally require households to report food loss within ten days of purchase. However, the state requested a waiver from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to allow households additional time.

The waiver applies to the following counties: Berkeley, Beaufort, Calhoun, Charleston, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter, Williamsburg, and York.

FNS is ready to consider additional waivers and other actions that may be needed to help program participants who have lost food due to the disaster and to simplify the application process for affected households, upon request from the state.

For more information on FNS assistance during times of disaster, visit www.fns.usda.gov/disaster.