Hike in ASNAP benefits approved for FY 2023 — but expect a delay

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Recipients of the American Samoa Nutrition Assistance Program (ASNAP) will receive additional benefits for one year starting in the new fiscal year, October 2022.

However there may be a delay in the issuance due to shortage of supply of special coupon paper to print food coupons.

This is according to Department of Human Social Services, Director Muavaefa’atasi John E. Suisala in an email to Samoa News.

“The additional assistance will be paid through a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which was announced through a news release by Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Stacy Dean, on September 8, 2022.

“The purpose of the grant is to address food insecurity and provide more equitable resources for American Samoa.

“We are pleased that the USDA FNS approved our request that was submitted on May 13, 2022, to use the additional $10 million ARPA grant to do the following starting October 1, 2022:

Increase monthly benefit allotments for all ASNAP participants to $277 from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023”

a. $100 increase for participants who are currently receiving $177;

b. $128 increase for participants who are currently receiving $149;

c. $150 increase for participants who are currently receiving $127;

d. $168 increase for participants who are currently receiving $109;

e. $183 increase for participants who are currently receiving $94.

According to Muavaefaatasi, the issuance of ASNAP benefits for the new fiscal year, starting October 3, 2022, may be delayed until they receive their supply of special coupon paper to print food coupons.

“The shortage of raw paper products in the United States as a result of the global supply chain constraints is also impacting the supply of special coupon paper for the ASNAP.

“However, if our partial supply that has already left the factory arrives via airfreight on Saturday, October 1, 2022, we will proceed with the issuance of ASNAP benefits by alphabetical order on Monday, October 3, 2022,” said the Director.

Adding that once the supply arrives they will make an announce on all the media and social media pages.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Nutrition Service approved a one-time payment of end-of-year benefits of $200 to all participants of the ASNAP recipeints using unspent funds from the ASNAP current fiscal year budget.

Muavaefa’atasi told Samoa News that all ASNAP participants will receive their regular monthly ASNAP benefits for September in addition to the $200 end-of-year benefits.

“The end-of-year benefits will be distributed along with the regular monthly benefits for September by the ASNAP Office beginning Thursday, September 1st through Friday, September 30th, 2022 by alphabetical order for ease of distribution. “

According to the press statement, All ASNAP food coupons, including end-of-year benefits, must be spent on or before they expire on September 30, 2022.