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<DIV><B>Subject:</B> NJ Human Services Announces $38.5 Million in Additional
Food Assistance</DIV></DIV>
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<P class=x_MsoNormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt'
align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #222222"><IMG
id=x_Picture_x0020_2 style="HEIGHT: 2.364in; WIDTH: 6.666in"
src="cid:14CA0541C0DC4D5EA9741BCB4A83F204@JoeHP" width=640 height=227
data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"></SPAN></B><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #222222"></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt'
align=center><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 24pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:
windowtext 1pt; COLOR: black; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in;
PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in'>NJ
Human Services Announces $38.5 Million in Additional Food
Assistance</SPAN></B></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt'
align=center><I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:
windowtext 1pt; COLOR: black; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in;
PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in'>Many
NJ SNAP Recipients Will Receive Enhanced Benefits; </SPAN></I></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt'
align=center><I><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:
windowtext 1pt; COLOR: black; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in;
PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in'>August
Payments Will Bring Supplemental Food Assistance Payments to $219M Since
March</SPAN></I><B><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 14pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt; FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:
windowtext 1pt; COLOR: black; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in;
PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt; PADDING-RIGHT:
0in'></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=x_MsoNormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt'><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #a6a6a6">July 30,
2020</SPAN></B> <B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #a6a6a6"></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>(TRENTON) – Many New Jerseyans who
receive food assistance through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance
Program (NJ SNAP) will receive additional benefits in August to help address
critical food needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. </SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>An additional estimated $38.5
million
will be provided to about 227,500 New Jersey households for
August.</SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>SNAP supplemental payments were
included in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Human
Services
has already provided about $180.5 million in additional NJ SNAP benefits
total
in March, April, May, June and July to New Jerseyans to help purchase
groceries. </SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>“It’s critical that we continue to
provide as much food assistance as possible to eligible New Jersey
households
during this difficult time,” Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson
said. “I
continue to thank our state’s Congressional delegation for protecting
residents
as we respond to this pandemic.”</SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>The supplemental benefits will be
directly loaded to NJ SNAP recipients’ Families First EBT cards as part of
their
regular monthly payment.</SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>NJ SNAP provides food assistance
to
families with low incomes to help them buy groceries through a benefit card
accepted in most food retail stores and farmer’s markets. Families can
now
also use their cards at select online grocery retailers to help maintain
social
distancing during the pandemic. The program serves about 725,000 New
Jerseyans
in about 370,000 households, with the monthly SNAP benefit based on
household
size and income.</SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>“Access to additional food
assistance
is more important than ever as several families and individuals face
unprecedented economic and health crises,” Human Services Deputy
Commissioner
Elisa Neira said. “We’re pleased to be able to provide this continued
assistance
when it’s needed most.”</SPAN></P>
<P
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; BACKGROUND:
white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>“We encourage residents who need
food
assistance to visit and apply for SNAP online at <A
href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.NJHelps.org__;!!A_zLiUo7uN0!U17jyDoqQdJrubGGTJw7_TvGdPOsc4qHHVPyO7yW18rJauVDfqBvTS_kqDtpCjEELncV$">www.NJHelps.org</A>,”
said Assistant Commissioner Natasha Johnson, who directs Human Services’
Division of Family Development and oversees the SNAP program. “I also thank
<SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white">the dedicated county Boards of Social
Services
staff, who have worked tirelessly through this public health
crisis.”</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>Human Services has also taken the
following steps to help New Jerseyans access affordable food during the
emergency:</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif'>Providing
$208 million in special food assistance benefits to more than 500,000 New
Jersey
children who otherwise would have received free or reduced-price school
meals if
not for COVID-19 school closures. </SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif'>Launched
online grocery ordering for SNAP recipients through Amazon, Walmart,
ShopRite
and The Fresh Grocer.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif; LINE-HEIGHT:
150%'> </SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>Made it easier to apply for SNAP
by
waiving the normally required interview and the hard copy signature on
applications to reduce the need for face-to-face interactions.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>Through
a
new online tool, available on <A
href="https://oneapp.dhs.state.nj.us/">NJOneApp</A>, made it possible for
SNAP
applicants to upload the documentation needed for applications
electronically
instead of mailing or dropping off documents to the county enrollment
offices.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>Ensured
that everyone whose benefits were up for renewal in March, April, May, June,
July and August were extended for six months.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri",sans-serif'>Updated
our
online system to make it easier for SNAP applicants to track their
application.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif'>Developed a
guide to educate immigrant families on what benefits are impacted by the
federal
public charge rule to combat misinformation.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxxxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif;
VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 73.6pt;
LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1'><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: ignore">·<SPAN
style='FONT: 7pt "Times New
Roman"'>
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style='FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif'>Presented
in various virtual forums to update service providers on these critical
changes
to help get the word out to families in need of food assistance.</SPAN></P>
<P class=x_xxmsonormal
style='FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman", serif; MARGIN: 0in
0in 0pt'><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY:
"Calibri",sans-serif'></SPAN> </P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>