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DCCA expects massive lines for DNAP
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is expecting massive lines and camping for the first day of the disaster food stamp distributions this Sunday at the Nutritional Assistance Program office in As Lito.
DCCA Secretary Robert Hunter told Saipan Tribune that his office is expecting massive lines on the first few days of the Disaster Nutritional Assistance Program, or DNAP.
“There would be no getting away from the long lines; that’s a fact,” he said, adding that he and DCCA had been preparing to make DNAP processing as quickly and as comfortably as possible.
Hunter is expecting about 12,000 households of the 14,000 on Saipan and Tinian to participate in the distributions this weekend.
“We are trying to make people lining up as comfortable as possible. We have got as many people possible to help carry out this process,” he said, adding that the department has been preparing for the distributions since Monday.
“We have over 80 people recruited and being oriented [for the distributions] and we have contracted benches, tents, water, and a lot of other stuff so that hopefully it is as comfortable as we can make it,” he said, adding that the first couple days of the seven-day distribution period is expected to be “crazy.”
The Office of the Governor announced last Nov. 10, 2018, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ request to activate monies initially reserved for the Nutritional Assistance Program, or food stamps, for emergency food assistance for victims of Super Typhoon Yutu.
The office estimates over $8.5 million in total disaster benefits cost.
The Torres administration noted that DNAP is available to households on Saipan and Tinian, regardless of citizenship.
