Following a power outage, food purchased with SNAP benefits can be replaced for free. The benefit is not new, but the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reminds food assistance recipients that food that spoils during a power outage can be replaced.

The power outage must last at least four hours. Reimbursement for food loss cannot exceed monthly benefits and, once authorized, will be credited to the Ohio Direction Card. People affected must submit a claim form to their county's Department of Job and Family Services within 10 days of a power outage (CDJFS).

Before replenishing benefits, the CDJFS will need to verify the lengthy power loss; thus, we request families to produce proof of the extended power outage. This includes images of news articles, SMS or email notifications, or outage maps indicating that their specific location was without power for four hours or longer, according to WKBN Youngstown via MSN.

How To Apply For SNAP Benefits in Ohio?

If you lost power during the storms last week in Ohio, you may be eligible for replacement SNAP payments. According to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks' Facebook page, if you get SNAP and lose power for four consecutive hours or more, you have 10 days to obtain replacement benefits. The following are the processes to obtain replacement SNAP benefits:

1. Complete and return this form to your county's Department of Job and Family Services.: https://www.mcohio.org/SNAP%20Replacement%20Application...

2. Include proof if possible.

3. More information about who qualifies: https://jfs.ohio.gov/.../FoodAssistanceReplacementBenefit.

Your perishable foods are unlikely to be safe to ingest after four hours in a closed refrigerator without power. Your frozen foods are unlikely to be safe to ingest after 24 to 48 hours in a closed freezer, as per WTRF.

Read Also: Omicron Variant Found Less Likely To Cause Long COVID Than Delta Variant

SNAP Benefits July Payment Schedule

SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, is the largest government aid program, providing low-income households with food-purchasing assistance. SNAP is managed at the state level, although being governed by the US Department of Agriculture.

Payments are put into SNAP accounts, which are connected to EBT cards, every month. EBT cards are known by different names in different states, so yours may be different.

Cards can be swiped at POS machines in grocery shops, big merchants, and farmer's markets that participate. To complete the transaction, you must enter your PIN. Don't forget to bring your sales receipt, which shows how much money is still in your SNAP account. You may also be able to purchase SNAP-eligible items online at participating merchants depending on your state. Benefits can be used to buy qualified foods such as

• Fruits and vegetables

• Meat, fish and poultry

• Dairy products

• Bread and cereals

• Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages

• Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat

Benefits from SNAP cannot be used to buy alcoholic drinks, tobacco products, vitamins, prescriptions, supplements, other nonfood goods. Your state determines your SNAP deposit schedule.

Payments are often allocated based on the last four digits of your state identity number. Some governments, however, may deliver rewards on a specific date each month. States also have varying standards when it comes to payment days that fall on weekends or holidays. Check with your state's program for the SNAP deposit schedule, Go Banking Rates reported.

Related Article: Stimulus Checks 2022: Missouri, Ohio To Provide Up to $500 as New Payments

@YouTube