Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Human Services says they have been notified by the USDA that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, known in Iowa as Food Assistance, will be available for the month of February, but due to the federal government shutdown, issuance of February Food Assistance benefits will be early.
According to the DHS, February benefits will be available on the recipients’ EBT cards on January 17th, instead of the regular February dates. They stress that these are normal February benefits, they are just being issued early.
The DHS says they are encouraging recipients to budget their normal benefits to ensure they last through the month of February.
The Iowa Department of Human Services says they anticipate increased call volume, which, they say, may impact the time it takes for them to return calls. The DHS says contingency plans are being developed for the month of March, should they be needed, and information will be shared as it available. The DHS says they will continue to closely monitor the situation.
For more information you can contact Matt Highland at 515-281-4848 or mhighla@dhs.state.ia.us.
Visit dhs.iowa.gov for information on DHS and its programs.
