Governor Ralph DLG. Torres announced on Monday that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved the CNMI’s request to provide supplemental allotments for eligible and ongoing Department of Community and Cultural Affairs (DCCA) – Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) households in the CNMI for June 2020 to August 2020.
DCCA-NAP has been provided a one-time grant of $620,563.00 from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and $1,240,000 from the CARES Act; a combined total of $1,860,563.
Supplemental allotments provide maximum monthly benefit allotments to new and ongoing households to respond to the effects of COVID-19.
As an example, a household of four on Saipan, who was entitled to $546 in DCCA-NAP monthly allotment, would receive an additional $398 in supplemental allotment, so that the household receives the maximum allotment of $944 for household size of four.
Households on Tinian and Rota will receive the maximum allotments as approved for those islands.
Contingent to the approval provided by the USDA-Food and Nutrition Service, DCCA-NAP is required to record and report on the new grants separately. As a result, a new coupon type was developed for Emergency Allotment coupons so that expenditure of the grants can be tracked and reported separately.
The emergency allotment coupons were created with “Local” and “Regular,” except that there will be an additional coupon type: $1 Regular Emergency Allotment coupon.
Effective June 2020, the Nutrition Assistance Program will be issuing emergency coupons in addition to their ongoing NAP coupons. Emergency allotment coupons will be redeemed the same way NAP coupons are redeemed. “Local” coupons will be used to purchase eligible local food commodities, while “Regular” coupons will be used to purchase imported food commodities, including eligible garden tools and fishing equipment.
Households with NAP certifications expiring in June 2020 are required to renew the cases
The DCCA-NAP would like to remind households whose certifications are expiring in June 2020 are required to submit a new application for renewal in order to receive benefits for July 2020 and onwards. Households should submit their applications for renewal as soon as possible to avoid delays from receiving their benefits.
To receive an application, households can visit the NAP Certification Unit office in As Lito or visit the DCCA website at www.dcca.gov.mp.
Applications must be submitted to the NAP Certification Unit office drop box at the ground floor of the JTV Commercial Building in As Lito. Applications can be submitted anytime via the drop box.
For questions regarding applications or renewals please contact the NAP Certification Unit at 237-2801 or 237-2802.
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