The U.S Department of Agriculture has asked states to provide early issuance of March benefits for those who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food security. This request is due to the partial federal government shutdown that occurred in January. Oregonians who normally receives their SNAP benefits between the 1st or 9th of each month will get their March allocation on March 1, 2019. This is the second month that SNAP benefits will be issued differently than the regular issuance schedule. The early March issuance date will help to ease the burden on affected households who have had a longer than usual gap between their usual SNAP issuances. “We understand that this disruption in the schedule of how benefits are distributed can be difficult for SNAP participants,” stated Self-Sufficiency Programs Director Kim Fredlund. “Our goal, during this unprecedented time, is to ensure we provide vulnerable Oregonians with access to food benefits and help them find additional resources if needed.” If people are concerned about running out of SNAP benefits, they can contact to 211Info, the Oregon Food Bank or the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) to find resources in their local communities. To find a local DHS office, go to www.oregon.gov/dhs and click on Office Locations.
