The Department of Public Health and Social Services is preparing the application to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Nutrition Services Administration for automate mass replacement (AMR) of a portion of nutritional benefits lost due to Super Typhoon Bavi.
DPHSS Director Theresa Arriola confirmed on Wednesday that the request for replacement of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is for individuals and households who were SNAP beneficiaries during the onset of Super Typhoon Bavi.
The AMR is meant to support recovery following Super Typhoon Bavi, similar to assistance received following Typhoon Sinlaku last April. The AMR at the time provided an Electronic Benefit amount equal to 63% of the SNAP beneficiary’s monthly allotment.
Arriola does not know how much the AMR benefit will be for Bavi, telling Guam News "we will know at the approval of application."
According to Arriola, the department is also preparing an announcement regarding Summer SNAP benefits which she said will be issued by the end of the week.
The Summer SNAP benefit is not tied to typhoon recovery instead it is part of an annual one-time benefit provided to eligible school-aged children to cover school meals while students are on summer break.
A total of $6.5 million in Summer EBT of Sun Bucks will be heading to eligible youth, each allotted a one-time grocery benefit of $180.