From the NC Department of Health and Human Services

On Sept. 14, 2018, Hurricane Florence brought severe flooding and power outages to several counties across North Carolina. Many families and individuals were directly impacted by Hurricane Florence, which forced them to be displaced from their homes.

The need for hot foods and hot prepared food products is critical for the coming weeks for those most adversely impacted and who are temporarily unable to prepare hot foods due to power outages and/or displacement from their homes.

The United States Department of Agriculture approved a hot food waiver for all Food and Nutrition Services recipients in North Carolina. The waiver allows any FNS recipient to purchase hot foods and hot foods prepared for immediate consumption if they are purchased in a FNS authorized retail store in North Carolina. USDA has provided notification to all authorized retailers in the State. The Department has verified with the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association that authorized retailers are prepared to accept EBT for these purchases.

The Waiver is effective immediately and will end on Oct. 31, 2018.

Many county departments of social services offices have been closed and continue to be closed for indefinite periods of time. As a result, Food and Nutrition Services recipients are unable to report food loss within the required 10-day timeframe.

The United States Department of Agriculture has approved a waiver that allows current FNS recipients who suffered food loss, to report beyond the 10-day timeframe and receive replacement benefits if eligible. Recipients may report food loss and request replacement benefits until Oct. 15, 2018.