(as of 1/18/2019, updating as new information is available)

by Chloe Eberhardt and Matt Newell-Ching

This post includes important updates on the federal government shutdown and the impact on SNAP.

1. Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) will be issuing February SNAP benefits EARLY – on Friday, January 18th. No additional benefits will be issued in February. Just like all normal SNAP payments, these SNAP benefits do not expire and will remain on the card until the household uses it. Here is a letter that DHS is mailing to all clients about this.

2. Here is a flier in English from Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Oregon Food Bank, and the Oregon Law Center explaining what is happening for clients. Flier is also available in Spanish, Somali, Swahili, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Farsi, Nepali, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. As soon as possible, please distribute widely with your networks and with SNAP households.

3. For those who need to take action on their SNAP case in January (such as an Interim Change Report or Recertification), please complete that as soon as possible. These are being processed as normal. SNAP households that turn in this paperwork after January 18th will receive their February benefits as soon as the paperwork is processed.

4. New applicants can still apply for SNAP and receive benefits. These are being processed normally and will continue to be accepted in February. Recertifications and Interim Change Reports are being accepted for February and processed normally.

5. Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon will share updates as we have them on this page. As of now, we do not know about the timing of March SNAP benefits.

6. As of now, the government shutdown is not affecting the way people receive other nutrition assistance like school meals, WIC or food pantries.

7. Resources:

• English flier about SNAP February benefits
• Flier about February benefits in Spanish, Somali, Swahili, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Farsi, Nepali, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese
• Flier from DHS about February benefits in English and Spanish
• Letter from DHS on February SNAP benefits
• DHS offices are open with normal hours. Final office locations here.
• For additional food resources, please call 2-1-1 or find a food pantry here.
• Problems with your SNAP case? Call the Public Benefits Hotline of Legal Aid Service of Oregon: 1-800-520-5292

As community organizations, our role in the next couple of days is to be very clear with SNAP households about what is happening so they can make decisions for themselves and their families with the most up to date information available. Thank you very much for your help spreading the word!

Please feel free to contact Chloe or Matt at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon with any questions.

 

Thank you to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute for sharing their communications materials which were used as a template for this post.