For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2020

Media Contacts: 

Amy Webb
Chief of Communications
[email protected]

Marci Manley
Deputy Chief of Communications
[email protected]

Clients Seeking Replacement Food Benefits Don’t Have to Wait in Line to Return Forms

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) clients affected by severe weather, outages can return forms to drop-off box or by email.

(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) — SNAP clients who lost food because of power outages from this month’s severe weather do not have to wait in line at the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) local county office to submit a request for replacement benefits. Clients also do not have to meet with a case worker to request replacement SNAP.

To request SNAP replacement benefits, clients just need to fill out the Declaration of Food Loss form and return it to DHS. All DHS county offices have drop boxes available so that clients do not have to wait in line. Clients also can fill out the form digitally and email it to their county office. A list of county office email addresses is available here.

“Using the drop-off boxes and email addresses will help prevent large groups from gathering inside DHS lobbies or in lines outside the offices as DHS continues to follow Arkansas Department of Health guidance to limit group gatherings during the covid-19 public health emergency. This will help protect everyone’s health and safety while getting clients the benefits they need,” said Mary Franklin, Director of the DHS Division of County Operations.

Clients need to return the form to DHS within 10 days of the power outage. That 10-day time period starts once a client’s power is restored.

###