Replacement SNAP Benefits Available for Pennsylvanians Affected by Recent Severe Weather, Power Outages | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) today announced that help is available for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients affected by severe weather and extended power outages following last weekend's storms. SNAP households may be eligible for replacement SNAP benefits if their food was destroyed as a result of the extended power outage caused by a natural disaster or severe weather event.

SNAP households that experienced an extended power outage or are still without power can immediately request a replacement in person or by phone with their County Assistance Office and must apply within 10 days of the incident.

"A power outage and loss of food can be extremely difficult to recover from for households on limited incomes, especially if they have already used their allocation of SNAP benefits for the month," said PA DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. "If any Pennsylvanian who receives SNAP is in this situation, help is available. I urge SNAP recipients who lost food because of a power outage from the weekend's storms to request replacement SNAP benefits as soon as possible so they can safely recover and get back on track."

States are able to provide replacement benefits totaling up to one month of a household's SNAP benefit in the event that a natural disaster or other incident causes the household's food to be destroyed. SNAP recipients must complete and submit an Affidavit for Replacement of Food Destroyed in a Household Disaster within 10 days of the reported food loss to affirm that the food loss occurred through a natural disaster or other unpredictable household incident, available online in English and Spanish.

SNAP replacements can be requested in person at DHS' County Assistance Offices, by phone, or through COMPASS and the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. Affidavit forms will be available in-person at the County Assistance Offices for those unable to print.

To start this replacement request immediately, SNAP recipients can:

• Find their local County Assistance Office;
• Call the Statewide Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930; or
• Upload the completed affidavit form to COMPASS or the myCOMPASS PA mobile app (learn how to update case information and upload documents to COMPASS).

For more information about DHS benefits and services, visit https://www.dhs.pa.gov/SNAP.