Deadline extended for Hawaii SNAP recipients’ food replacement after Lala

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) — Applications have been extended for Hawaiʻi SNAP families looking to be reimbursed for food destroyed during Lala.

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The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS) on Tuesday announced an update regarding the replacement of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits following severe weather, flooding, and power outages.

The replacement assistance is available for current SNAP recipients across the state who experienced food loss due to household misfortunes, specifically flooding or extended power outages lasting four hours or longer.

To receive replacement benefits, eligible households must submit a signed, written statement to DHS.

On Thursday, DHS said SNAP recipients now have until Sept. 3, an additional 20 days after the disaster date, to submit signed, written statements after the Food and Nutrition Administration approved a statewide waiver extending the deadline for households to report food loss and request SNAP benefits.

“We know many SNAP households have faced significant hardship because of Tropical Cyclone Lala, including difficulties reaching county offices due to transportation barriers, damaged roadways and communication outages. This extended deadline ensures families have more time to request the replacement benefits they need,” Gov. Josh Green said.

Reports made by Sept. 3 will be considered timely.

“Our priority is ensuring that families across Hawaiʻi have access to essential resources as they rebuild,” said DHS director Joseph Campos II. “This waiver supports those efforts by giving households more flexibility to replace food lost during severe weather and prolonged power outages.”

Eligibility for food replacement

According to state officials, SNAP replacement benefits allow eligible households to be reimbursed for food purchased with SNAP benefits that was subsequently destroyed.

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The replacement amount will be based on the value of the food lost and cannot exceed the household’s total monthly SNAP benefit allocation.

Application requirements

To apply for a SNAP replacement the submitted statement must be signed by the participant and must include the following details:

recipients are not required to use the template and can write and submit their own statements.

Submission and validation process

Completed statements can be submitted to any DHS Processing Center statewide.

Once received, state officials will review and validate the submissions. Approved applicants will receive their replacement benefits after the review process is complete.

The replacement amount will be based on the value of the food lost and cannot exceed the household’s total monthly SNAP benefit allocation.

Supporting recovery efforts

Gov. Josh Green emphasized the state’s commitment to supporting families as they recover from the impacts of the storm.

“Our priority is ensuring that families have access to essential resources as they rebuild, including the ability to replace food that was lost during severe weather and prolonged power outages,” Green said. “These SNAP replacement benefits are an important step in supporting community resilience and helping households get back.”

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For more information on the new update please visit here.