Food stamp benefits for 4,700 households out next week

The Department of Community & Culture Affairs’ Nutrition Assistance Program will start distributing next week NAP benefits, or food stamps, to approximately 4,700 households in the CNMI.

NAP administrator Walter Macaranas said yesterday that because of the distribution of NAP benefits on June 1 to 7, the applications for the Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer, or P-EBT, will have to be submitted during this period to the Public School System’s Child Nutrition Program offices on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

P-EBT is a federal program that will provide the Marianas an estimated $11.1 million that will benefit approximately 11,650 children. PSS’ CNP and DCCA’s NAP are partnering to administer the program.

Macaranas said they will be distributing NAP benefits to approximately 4,300 households on Saipan, and 200 households each on Tinian and Rota.

On Saipan, Macaranas said, due to the NAP drive-thru benefit distribution on June 1 to 7, NAP office will not be accepting P-EBT applications during this period. Instead, the administrator said, P-EBT applications will have to be submitted to the PSS CNP office at Building 1251 on Capital Hill.

Macaranas said their office will resume accepting P-EBT applications on June 8 to 11.

On Tinian and Rota, the administrator said, NAP benefits will be distributed on June 1 to 3.

During this period, he said, for Tinian P-EBT households are requested to submit their applications to the PSS CNP located at the Tinian Jr./Sr. High School, while for Rota at the PSS CNP office located at Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr./Sr. High School.

Macaranas reminded P-EBT applicants that the last day to submit a completed P-EBT application will be on June 11 no later than 4:30pm at the PSS CNP office, or no later than 5pm at the NAP office.

The administrator asked for the public’s understanding about the temporary closure to submit P-EBT applications at the Saipan NAP office and designated offices on Tinian and Rota during the respective regular distribution schedule.

On the vaccination matter, Macaranas disclosed that all of the 41 NAP staff have been fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccines as of May 17, 2021.

“NAP staff are very committed and dedicated when serving the public. They are hardworking individuals who do their best to serve an already overwhelming number of NAP clientele,” he said.

The COVID-19 vaccination, he said, is an example of a commitment to serving the public and ensuring the people that the NAP staffs who serve them are vaccinated.

Macaranas noted that NAP staffs continued providing essential NAP service to the public during the government closure from March 16, 2020 to May 17, 2020. “NAP staffs were gravely concerned about their safety and their family’s safety but remained vigilant and steadfast in serving the public,” he said.

The administrator recalled seeing numerous occasions when NAP staffs “went above and beyond to serve families in need, especially during post-natural disasters.”