CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Some South Carolina residents who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and lost food due to power outages during Hurricane Helene will automatically receive replacement benefits, the Department of Social Services announced Friday.
DSS said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved South Carolina’s waiver request that allows the agency to automatically issue federally funded replacement benefits to SNAP recipients who live in counties where at least 50% of the total population experienced a power outage lasting more than four hours.
SNAP users will get a replacement of 55% of their September benefits, in counties including: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Colleton, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York.
Replacement benefits are expected to go out to EBT cards electronically by Oct. 15.