Governor Blagojevich announces emergency Food Stamp program for residents of 18 flood stricken counties

CHICAGO - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced today the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services has authorized the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to offer a special Disaster Food Stamp Program for residents of 18 counties declared federal disaster areas in the aftermath of the recent flooding.

 

"The floods of the past month have had a devastating effect on many families in these 18 counties," said Governor Blagojevich. "While it may take a long time for them to replace what they lost in the floods, they also have more immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter and that's where we can step in and provide help right now. We thank the USDA for approving the emergency Food Stamp assistance so we can ensure that everyone has enough food on their tables as they try to recover from the devastating floods."  

 

Special applications for the Disaster Food Stamp Program are available at (IDHS) Family Community Resource Centers located in the following counties that were designated as federal disaster areas: Adams, Calhoun, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Hancock, Henderson, Jasper, Jersey, Lake, Lawrence, Mercer, Rock Island, Whiteside and Winnebago.   Applications will be accepted Wednesday July 9 through Friday July 11 and Monday July 14 through Thursday July 17 from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day.

 

Illinois residents who lived or worked in a disaster area in one of these counties at the time of the disaster may qualify for this special program.  Applicants should bring proof of their identity and their residence or job in a disaster area prior to the disaster.  To qualify, they must have experienced an adverse effect from the disaster, including damage to home or business, food loss, disaster-related expenses not reimbursed, loss or reduction of income, or inaccessibility of assets.

 

Disaster Food Stamps will be provided to families based on cash resources available to a household during the disaster.  Non-reimbursed disaster-related expenses are allowed as a deduction from cash resources.  A 4-person family with a maximum allowable income of $2,295 would receive $542 in food stamps.  A qualifying 3-person family would receive $426 and 2 persons $298.  Most benefits will be available within 3 days of the date of application.

 

Persons on the regular Food Stamp Program that were affected by the disaster are also encouraged to apply for this special program because they may qualify for additional food stamp benefits to bring their benefit level up to the maximum benefit amount for the month of the disaster.

 

Food Stamps can be used to purchase food for human consumption, but cannot be used to buy alcoholic drinks, tobacco products or non-food products.  Under a special waiver granted by USDA, persons in the affected areas will be able to use food stamps for hot food items where Illinois Link benefits are accepted.

 

Persons committing fraud with the Food Stamp Program may be disqualified from the program, may be fined up to $250,000 and put in prison up to 20 years or both.

 

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the Illinois Department of Human Services is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs, or disability.

 

Contact information for the 18 counties is listed below.

 

 

300 Maine St, 2nd Fl

Quincy, IL 62301-3922

Phone: (217)223-0550 Nextalk: (866) 740-3926

 

807 W. Main Street

Hardin, IL 62047-0220

Phone: (618) 576-2258 Nextalk: (866) 847-6172

 

315 S 14th St Marshall, IL 62441-1743

Phone: (217) 826-2541 Nextalk: (866) 846-5276

 

119 W State St Charleston, IL 61920-1399

Phone: (217) 345-2188 Nextalk: (866) 846-0527

 

1110 N Allen St Robinson, IL 62454-0656

Phone: (618) 544-3151 Nextalk: (866) 324-4266

 

200 S Indiana PO Box 188 Toledo, IL 62468-0188

Phone: (217) 849-3541 Nextalk: (866) 740-3953

 

207 E Ficklin Tuscola, IL 61953-1811

Phone: (217) 253-3347 Nextalk: (866) 383-3519

 

11773 Illinois Hwy 1 Paris, IL 61944-8309

Phone: (217) 465-6491 Nextalk: (866) 383-4370

 

2005 E US Hwy 136 Carthage, IL 62321-3418

Phone: (217) 357-3116 Nextalk: (866) 877-6013

 

1245 S Main St Monmouth, IL 61462-2605

Phone: (309) 734-2159 TTY: (800) 447-6404

 

910 S Van Buren St Newton, IL 62448-1727

Phone: (618) 783-2311 Nextalk: (866) 325-5401

 

110 North Jefferson Street

Jerseyville, IL 62052-1726

Phone: (618) 498-2105 Nextalk: (866) 900-0915

 

3235 W Belvidere Rd Park City, IL 60085-6017

Phone: (847) 336-5212 Nextalk: (866) 322-3172

 

RR 1 Box 418 Lawrenceville, IL 62439-9796

Phone: (618) 943-2334 Nextalk: (866) 326-0247

 

601 SE 19th Ave Aledo, IL 61231-9405

Phone: (309) 582-5178 Nextalk: (866) 451-5724

 

2821 Fifth Street

Rock Island, IL 61201-4085

Phone: (309) 794-9530 Nextalk: (866) 321-0909

 

2605 Woodlawn Road

Sterling, IL  61081-4151

Phone: (815) 632-4045 Nextalk: (866) 323-4849

 

1111 N Avon St Rockford, IL 61101-5898

Phone: (815) 987-7620 Nextalk: (866) 322-2681