7/8/2008
Governor Blagojevich announces emergency Food Stamp program for residents of 18 flood stricken counties
Applications are available starting Wednesday at local Illinois Department of Human Services offices
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.
Family Community Resource Centers (FCRC)
Adams County FCRC
300 Maine St, 2nd Fl
Quincy, IL 62301-3922
Phone: (217) 223-0550 Nextalk: (866) 740-3926
Calhoun County FCRC
807 W. Main Street
Hardin, IL 62047-0220
Phone: (618) 576-2258 Nextalk: (866) 847-6172
Clark County FCRC
315 S 14th Street
Marshall, IL 62441-1743
Phone: (217) 826-2541 Nextalk: (866) 846-5276
Coles County FCRC
119 W State St
Charleston, IL 61920-1399
Phone: (217) 345-2188 Nextalk: (866) 846-0527
Crawford County FCRC
1110 N Allen St
Robinson, IL 62454-0656
Phone: (618) 544-3151 Nextalk: (866) 324-4266
Cumberland County FCRC
200 S Indiana PO Box 188
Toledo, IL 62468-0188
Phone: (217) 849-3541 Nextalk: (866) 740-3953
Douglas County FCRC
207 E Ficklin
Tuscola, IL 61953-1811
Phone: (217) 253-3347 Nextalk: (866) 383-3519
Edgar County FCRC
11773 Illinois Hwy 1
Paris, IL 61944-8309
Phone: (217) 465-6491 Nextalk: (866) 383-4370
Hancock County FCRC
2005 E US Hwy 136
Carthage, IL 62321-3418
Phone: (217) 357-3116 Nextalk: (866) 877-6013
Henderson County FCRC
1245 S Main St
Monmouth, IL 61462-2605
Phone: (309) 734-2159 TTY: (800) 447-6404
Jasper County FCRC
910 S Van Buren St
Newton, IL 62448-1727
Phone: (618) 783-2311 Nextalk: (866) 325-5401
Jersey County FCRC
110 North Jefferson Street
Jerseyville, IL 62052-1726
Phone: (618) 498-2105 Nextalk: (866) 900-0915
Lake County FCRC
3235 W Belvidere Rd
Park City, IL 60085-6017
Phone: (847) 336-5212 Nextalk: (866) 322-3172
Lawrence County FCRC
RR 1 Box 418
Lawrenceville, IL 62439-9796
Phone: (618) 943-2334 Nextalk: (866) 326-0247
Mercer County FCRC
601 SE 19th Ave
Aledo, IL 61231-9405
Phone: (309) 582-5178 Nextalk: (866) 451-5724
Rock Island County FCRC
2821 Fifth Street
Rock Island, IL 61201-4085
Phone: (309) 794-9530 Nextalk: (866) 321-0909
Whiteside County FCRC
2605 Woodlawn Road
Sterling, IL 61081-4151
Phone: (815) 632-4045 Nextalk: (866) 323-4849
Winnebago County FCRC
1111 N Avon St
Rockford, IL 61101-5898
Phone: (815) 987-7620 Nextalk: (866) 322-2681
