Request for Replacement of Destroyed Food – Timeframe to Apply Extended

09/21/2020

Policy Memo

Summary:

• Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has approved a waiver to extend the approval time from 10 days to 31 days for customers submitting Form 1989 Request to Replace Destroyed Food due to power outage from storms that occurred on August 10, 2020.

• Severe storms affected several counties in Illinois. As a result of the storms, massive power outages left many homes and businesses without power for several days. Many individuals had food destroyed and SNAP customers began requesting replacement for destroyed food.

• The following Illinois counties were affected by the power outages:

• PM 22-03-01 Replacing Destroyed Food require that replacement issuances shall be provided only if a household timely reports a loss of food purchased with SNAP benefits orally or in writing.
• Currently, Form 1989, Request to Replace Destroyed Food is required to be submitted within 10 days of the date food was purchased with SNAP benefits and the event that destroyed to food.
• The waiver approval allows requests for destroyed food due to power outages to be extended to 31 days from the date of the power outage occurrence  August 10, 2020 through September 11, 2020.
• To better serve SNAP customers who had food loss as a result of the recent August 10, 2020 power outages, the time period for requesting replacement for food destroyed has been extended to September 11, 2020.
• A Heads Up Procedures on How to Process Completed Form 1989 Request for Replacement of Destroyed Food in IES published on 08/28/2020 explains the process in IES once a customer submits Form 1989, Request to Replace Destroyed Food.
• Please note: Per PM 22-03-01, Form 1989 is not to be accepted for loss of food from power outages due to non-payment of utility bill, or loss of food due to refrigerator breakdown.

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Replacing Destroyed Food

Food and Nutrition Services FNS has approved a waiver to extend the timeframe of submitting Form 1989, Request to Replace Destroyed Food, from 10 days to 31 days from the initial loss of food purchased with SNAP benefits due to power outages that resulted from severe storms. Severe storms on August 10, 2020 affected several counties in Illinois. The following counties in Illinois were affected by the power outages: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, McHenry, Ogle, Rock Island, Will, and Winnebago. As a result of the storms, massive power outages left many homes and businesses without power for several days. Many individuals had food destroyed and SNAP customers began requesting replacement for destroyed food. The waiver approval will allow requests for destroyed food due to power outages to be extended to 31 days from the date of the power outage occurrence through September 11, 2020.

FCRC Action

Please follow the steps on how to process a submitted Form 1989, Request to Replace Destroyed Food, in IES following the Heads Up, Procedures on How to Process Completed Form 1989 Request for Replacement of Destroyed Food in IES published on 08/28/2020. Forms will now be accepted from the date of the event on August 10, 2020 that resulted in the power outages through September 11, 2020.

Please Note: Per PM 22-03-01, Form 1989 is not to be accepted for loss of food from power outages due to non-payment of utility bill, or loss of food due to refrigerator breakdown.

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms Referenced:

Form 1989