RALEIGH — Starting today, people and families in North Carolina who are enrolled in the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program can use their benefits to purchase hot food. This temporary flexibility applies to all 100 counties in North Carolina and the nearly 700,000 households enrolled in the FNS program. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure people impacted by Hurricane Helene receive assistance as soon as possible.

“For people and families in North Carolina whose lives have been turned upside down by Hurricane Helene, a hot meal can provide a small comfort and sense of normalcy to their day,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “This flexibility helps us make sure everyone has access to basic necessities while we continue to work to restore services to impacted communities.”

“This benefit will support families who are reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene with hot food they can purchase with their EBT card,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We are 100% committed to the health and wellbeing of our friends, family, and fellow North Carolinians in every corner of western North Carolina — now and for the long haul.”

North Carolinians in the FNS program can purchase hot food, including food prepared for immediate consumption, from authorized Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) retailers using their EBT card starting today. All authorized EBT vendors in the state have been notified about this change, which will remain in effect until Nov. 3, 2024.

This will ensure families who are not able to prepare food at home due to displacement or power outages still have access to warm meals. Customers do not have to apply for this benefit but should inquire first with the store to see if they can process hot food purchases with their FNS benefits. It is important to note this is for authorized retailers like gas stations or deli departments, not restaurants or other non-EBT authorized retailers. A map of retailers that accept EBT is available here.

North Carolina has been approved for a waiver that provides additional time for FNS participants residing in the affected disaster areas to report a food loss as a result of Hurricane Helene to their local Department of Social Services office due to displacement, transportation issues or other storm-related hardships through October 26, 2024.

NCDHHS has also applied for a waiver to automatically replace a portion of FNS benefits for individuals and families in the western North Carolina who have lost food purchased with their September FNS benefits. Once NCDHHS receives approval, the department will send out a notification with more details.

Additionally, NCDHHS is actively working with USDA to receive federal authority to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. D-SNAP allows more people impacted by Hurricane Helene to qualify for food assistance benefits who are not already FNS recipients. More information will be communicated once the department has approval to implement the D-SNAP program.

For information about the FNS program, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/fns or visit epass.nc.gov.

For information regarding Hurricane Helene and additional resources and flexibilities in place, please go to www.ncdps.gov/helene and www.ncdhhs.gov/helene.

There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.