Press Releases

Next week, North Carolina’s youngest children who are eligible for food assistance benefits will begin to receive extra monthly benefits tied to the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2021-2022 school year.

North Carolina is earning national recognition for its success in helping low-income families through a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Food and Nutrition Services program has expanded participation in the FNS Online Purchasing Program from seven retailers to 11. FNS recipients can access these 11 retailers online to make food purchases with their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced due to global shortages and delays in shipments it was unable to include return envelopes in the monthly mailing of the Food and Nutrition Services recertifications for February. Return envelopes will likely not be included in the monthly mailings for March as well.

North Carolina households receiving Food and Nutrition Services benefits will continue to receive the maximum amount for their household size for the month of February, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced. FNS recipients have been receiving the maximum allotment, though they may qualify for less, since March 2020 to help families access food during the COVID-19 pandemic and compensate for financial and economic hardships resulting from the pandemic and widespread business and industry closures.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging eligible North Carolinians to see if they are eligible for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program or the Crisis Intervention Program if they need assistance with heating bills.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it will issue the first round of Student Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer benefits next week for students eligible between the months of September and November 2021.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program will expand to include all low-income households needing assistance in paying their water bill.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue the Student Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) food assistance program for eligible K-12 students through the 2021-22 school year under new rules. North Carolina is still awaiting federal approval for Child Care P-EBT (previously called “Children Under 6”) and cannot issue benefits to this group until USDA approval is received.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin accepting applications through county social services departments for the state's Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) today.