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NAP processing, issuance extended
Registered disaster NAP applicants will be processed until Sept. 2
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Nutrition Assistance Program was approved on Saturday to extend its processing and issuance of disaster aid funds.
In a letter to Gov. Eloy Inos, the Food and Nutrition Service said it approved the request of the CNMI government regarding the extension.
“In order to accommodate the remaining registered households affected by Typhoon Soudelor, DCCA may continue to process applications for the D-NAP and issue emergency benefits until Sept. 2,” said FNS western region administrator Jesus Mendoza Jr.
However, while the issuance period is extended, NAP reiterated that registration for the disaster program is already closed.
“DCCA NAP will not register any new households for disaster assistance. However, DCCA NAP will continue to issue disaster benefits to all registered households who have been issued numbers from the office in As Lito through Sept. 2,” NAP said.
Prior to the extension, NAP was only allowed to process disaster program applications until Aug. 31.
NAP will continue to serve households who are already registered according to a number system. Today, they will be processing those who are registered under the numbers D5801 to D6700. On Tuesday, they will serve numbers D6701 to D7600 while on the last day on Wednesday, they will serve D7601 to D7938.
However, NAP director Walter Macaranas told Saipan Tribune that numbers prior to the scheduled numbers for today and the following days who weren’t able to get processed on their scheduled days can still go to their office and get assistance.
“Any number before 5,801 can come in. If you have a number, like 2,000, you can still come to our office,” Macaranas said.
As of Saturday, NAP approved 6,170 households under the disaster program and 1,191 under the supplemental program.
Under the supplemental program, current NAP recipients who have not yet received their supplemental benefit for August 2015 may apply by Sept. 2.
Ongoing NAP recipients
Aside from the extension of the disaster program, FNS also approved the CNMI’s request to phase its September issuance for ongoing NAP households.
“DCCA may phase issuance of NAP benefits originally scheduled for Sept. 1, 2015, until Sept. 4, 2015,” FNS said.
According to NAP, Saipan residents will be issued benefits on the following schedule: Sept. 4 for households whose last name starts with letter A to C, Sept. 8 for D to L, Sept. 9 for M to R, Sept. 10 for S to Z. Sept. 11 will be an open day.
NAP said it issued September benefits to ongoing NAP households residing on Tinian on Aug. 28 and will be issuing to ongoing NAP households residing on Rota today.
It added that they will return to the standard Saipan benefit issuance schedule beginning Oct. 1.
Reprogram funds
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) praised the administration and thanked FNS for approving the extension period.
“I congratulate Governor Inos for relaxing the rules to make so many people eligible for food stamps and for asking to keep going until Sept. 2 to accommodate the thousands of families who have registered for assistance. And I thank the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for authorizing this extension,” Sablan said in a statement.
He said that FNS officials expect 12,917 households, which is about 90 percent of households on Saipan, to get food stamps in this current round of assistance.
He also added that FNS estimates benefits for this month to run about $3.5 million, which will use up most of the CNMI’s surplus grant funds and he expects money will be needed in September, as many households will qualify to apply for food stamps again because of lost income.
“I have already asked the Food and Nutrition Service to be prepared to reprogram funds from its SNAP contingency or other account to cover those emergency costs. We want families to get the help they need in the weeks and the months ahead,” Sablan said.
He said both FNS National Administrator Audrey Rowe and Undersecretary of Agriculture Kevin Concannon have been giving daily attention to the situation in the Northern Marianas and sent staff from Washington along with staff from Region 9 in San Francisco to help the NAP office.
