Virginia Department of Social Services
Press Release
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is reminding recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, that the final implementation of the staggered benefit payment schedule will occur October 1.
To lessen the impact of the change, the Department encourages recipients to plan accordingly.
"During this final stage of implementation about 40 percent of Virginia's SNAP customers will experience a three to five day delay of the receipt of their SNAP benefits. Planning ahead is necessary to ensure family's food needs are sustained" said VDSS' Director of Benefit Programs, Thomas Steinhauser. "If there is a need for assistance during the delay, SNAP households whose case numbers end in the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9 are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 VIRGINIA to identify additional food assistance resources within their local area."
The new process will expand the issuance of benefits to four times each month. The benefit issuance dates will be the 1st, 4th, 7th or 9thbased on the last digit in the household's case number:
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Case Number
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October 2012
and after
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Case numbers ending in 0, 1, 2, or 3
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1st Day of the Month
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Case numbers ending in 4 or 5
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4th Day of the Month
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Case numbers ending in 6 or 7
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7th Day of the Month
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Case numbers ending in 8 or 9
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9th Day of the Month
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Earlier this summer VDSS sent letters to all current SNAP customers in Virginia explaining the new schedule. SNAP recipients' can refer to these letters for their case number.
For more information about this change, SNAP clients can visit the Virginia Department of Social Services web site at www.dss.virginia.gov and click on "SNAP Changes Coming" or call the Virginia Department of Social Services at 1-800-552-3431.
