ASNAP ‘food stamps’ program paying out big end-of-year bonuses

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Beneficiaries of the Department of Human and Social Services’ Food Stamp Program are receiving the hefty amounts of $773 and $544 in Food Stamps for the month of September.

This was revealed by DHSS Director Muavaefaatasi John Suisala in his department’s budget hearing last Friday at the Fono’s Budget and Appropriations Committee joint hearings.

According to Muavaefaatasi, his department’s American Samoa Nutrition Assistance Program (ASNAP) or Food Stamp Program has five benefit levels providing monthly Food Stamps of different monetary amounts to qualified recipients.

Level one provides $94, level two, $109; level three, $127; level four, $149; and level five, $177.

He explained that Fiscal Year 2023, which ends on September 30 included $10 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for his department and they used these funds to increase the monetary amounts of the five levels so that everyone would receive $277.

That is, $183 was added to $94 in level one, $168 was added to $109 in level two, $150 was added to $127 in level three, $128 was added to $149 in level four and $100 was added to $177 in level five, to bring the amount in each level to $277.

They also requested that recipients who are in the category of the lowest income families, have one member of their family made eligible for $208 in Food Stamps.

On top of that, Muavaefaatasi told lawmakers that effective, Friday,  Sept. 1, 2023, ASNAP began paying out bonuses or what they call “end-of-the-year benefits” to qualified Food Stamp recipients.

He explained that if there are funds left over in their annual budget after each financial year, they forward a request to the federal authorities to use these surplus funds for their clients.

 “So today, all Food Stamp recipients receiving $277 thanks to the ARPA funds, will get another boost of $496 from the end-of-the-year benefits bringing their Food Stamps amount for the month of September to a whopping $773!” Muavaefaatasi announced.

He also added that family members of those recipients in the lowest income category who have been made eligible for $208 in Food Stamps will receive a $336 end-of-the-year bonus to bring their Food Stamps amount to $544.

Faipule Luaitaua Gene Pan asked the DHSS director what the ratio was in the number of US Nationals and non-US Nationals were currently registered in the Food Stamp Program?

Muavaefaatasi responded that he did not have the actual numbers with him but that he will have his staff provide it and forward it to the Fono.

He recalled that this information had been requested by members of the Legislature some months back and that he had forwarded it to the Fono. He promised that an updated version of the figures would be provided.

Senator Fonoti T. Aufata asked if Food Stamps can be redeemed in Hawaii or the mainland?

Muavaefaatasi clarified that Food Stamps issued in one state can be used in any other state, however those issued in American Samoa can only be used here in the territory.

 “So the all the federal funds used to fund the ASNAP are used in the territory and the businesses that accept Food Stamps will get their money from the Territorial Bank of American Samoa (TBAS),” he explained.

Sen. Fonoti reminded the DHSS director that ASG received bad publicity from allegations of fraud and counterfeiting of Food Stamp vouchers some years back, which were investigated by the FBI and some government officials were implicated.

She advised him to make sure that the program was run according to the law and for all department officials to be vigilant and honest in the performance of their duties.

Muavaefaatasi responded by thanking her for voicing her concerns and revealed that the American Samoa Food Stamp Program has been commended by USDA top officials for the way it was implemented.

 “We have been informed that compared to the big states in the Western Region like California, Seattle, Washington State and Alaska, the American Samoa Food Stamps is one of the best coordinated and every year, the federal authorities always commend us for maintaining this standard,” he stated.

He also acknowledged his staff for making sure the program is run with integrity and achieves its mandate, which is to help those low income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford more healthy food.