NAP income eligibility hits all-time low

The income eligibility standards of the CNMI Nutrition Assistance Program or NAP has hit an all-time low—the lowest it’s ever been for years—which would make hundreds of CNMI residents ineligible for assistance.

According to NAP administrator Walter Macaranas, they were forced to reduce income eligibility standards and maximum benefits by a whopping 25% because the available funds for the NAP benefit program has gone down significantly this fiscal year.

With the reduction, NAP looks at providing benefits to a maximum of just 4,500 households across the CNMI, compared to the 5,300 when NAP beneficiaries peaked back in August.

“The income eligibility standards and the maximum benefit allotments will be reduced by 25% from the current level. This is where we’re going to be on Oct. 1 and this is going to be [effective] until April 1. This is the lowest ever in the past 10 years,” he said.

Macaranas said that as NAP’s funding starts to decline, they had to plan to reduce the income standards so that they could stay within the funding level or funding availability. Their reduction was based on their assessment of how many eligible families there were in June and who would remain eligible if their income stayed the same.

Macaranas explained that the amount of money granted to NAP yearly is merely $12 million but because of leftover funds carried over from the Enhance Nutrition Assistance (ENAP) back in 2016 and the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program back in 2018, the reduction in income eligibility was pushed back a few years.

Now, however, Macaranas said that, although it’s unfortunate timing since there’s an ongoing pandemic, they have no choice but to push forward with the reduction. This is because the leftover funding from ENAP and DNAP nets just a little over $10 million reducing NAP funding to a little over $22 million. This is nearly half of the $30 million in the last few fiscal years.

For households who are currently certified beyond September, once October hits and their income is above the new standards, they will automatically receive a letter terminating their benefits. Households that remain eligible will also receive letters of reduction in their monthly benefits.

According to a mother of three who works as a cashier, and a husband who works part-time as a result of the pandemic, NAP meant a great deal for their family.

“With the ongoing crisis, I counted on NAP to feed my family because we have other bills to pay. Our salaries combined is not enough,” she said.

She said she no longer knows how she will budget the little amount of money they make. “This is sad news during a sad time. I hope we receive additional funding soon. I know a lot of people like me who will be hit hard by this reduction,” she said.

For a family of five, the income eligibility was reduced from $2,515 to $1.886. This is gross income.