March 31, 2020 3:20 a.m.
Oregonians who have difficulty finding work during the COVID-19 pandemic don’t have to worry about losing their food benefits, due to changes included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
An update from the Oregon Department of Human Services said normally benefits are only available for three months for people who are not working but are considered able to work. The release said the act normally suspends Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program time limits for a subset of the SNAP population that are required to work as a condition of receiving benefits. The changes begin tomorrow and end the month after the Secretary of Health and Human Services declares that the COVID-19 state of emergency has been lifted.
Dan Haun, director of the Self-Sufficiency Programs at DHS said “SNAP benefits play a critical role in helping Oregonians get by during difficult circumstances”. He said the change ensures that food benefits remain available for the increasing number of Oregonians losing jobs during the pandemic.
DHS announced last week that Oregonians statewide can use their SNAP benefits online to buy groceries at Amazon or Wal-Mart, which supports physical distancing required by Governor Brown’s Stay Home-Save Lives Executive Order. In addition, DHS is not requiring interviews for those who report having no household income. Oregonians can apply for SNAP without visiting a DHS office.
Apply on-line and get more information about SNAP at: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/ohp/pages/splash.aspx?utm_source=oha&utm_medium=egov_redirect&utm_campaign=http%3A//ohp.oregon.gov.