COLUMBIA, S.C. — In the aftermath of Helene, the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) is requesting a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that, if approved, will allow DSS to issue federally funded food replacement benefits automatically.
If approved, the benefits would go to current SNAP recipients residing in counties where 50% or more of the total population in that county experienced a power outage lasting more than four hours per federal guidelines. The amount of replacement benefits each SNAP household will receive is based on their monthly issuance date.
Once more information is available, it will be released through official DSS messages.
DSS encourages SNAP recipients to seek verified information from trusted sources, such as directly from DSS, not rumors or misinformation on social media networks.
If you need immediate assistance and don't have food, you can get it at your local food bank. Emergency shelters and feeding sites are also operating in some areas.