BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that residents participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who lost food due to recent power outages caused by wildfires and windstorms may qualify for replacement benefits, a media release states. This assistance is available to SNAP households that lost power for more than four hours, particularly in Williams or McKenzie counties. These residents have 10 days from the day they lost food to request replacement benefits.

SNAP households in other affected counties may also be eligible for the replacement program, according to the release.

To report food loss, impacted residents should contact the HHS Customer Support Center. They can email at applyforhelp@nd.gov, call Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT at (866) 614-6005 or (701) 328-1000, or use 711 (TTY). Alternatively, households can mail reports to the Customer Support Center at P.O. Box 5562, Bismarck, ND 58506, or visit their local human service zone office during regular business hours. Contact information for these offices can be found online at hhs.nd.gov/human-service/zones.

The replacement benefits will cover the amount of food lost, up to the monthly benefit amount. For example, if a household lost $50 worth of food and received $100 in SNAP benefits for the month, they will be eligible to receive $50 in replacement benefits, once the loss is verified.

The maximum replacement cannot exceed the household’s one-month SNAP benefit. Residents with questions can find more information online at hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap or contact the Customer Support Center.

For those impacted by the recent disasters and in need of crisis support, help is available through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Residents can call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for support.