Aldan: NAP hopes to get partial benefits out as fast as they can to families

CNMI Nutrition Assistance Program administrator Margaret Aldan said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially communicated that partial benefits will be issued to food stamp recipients for this month. Aldan shared the update with lawmakers during a House session last Nov. 6, where they began talks on providing $1 million in local funds to help fill federal funding gaps.

“We are waiting for a letter of credit so we can process the account, and then we will go ahead and start the distribution,” she told Marianas Press in an interview after the House session. “We are also working with our EBT processor so we can use the card.” She added, “It probably won’t happen until sometime next week.”

The Legislature will also have an emergency session today, Nov. 7, where they will vote on appropriating $1 million from Marianas Public Land Trust interest income to partially fund NAP benefits.

Aldan said that even with partial funding from the federal and local government, recipients likely won’t see full benefits, at least for this month, amid the federal government shutdown.

“We put out…$4 million a month in benefits…so that’s like...a million short. But we will do our best to make sure that we get this out as fast as we can to our families.”

Aldan said she is certain the federal government benefits will come through the new EBT cards. However, she noted that they are working with the EBT processor to ensure any local funds can also be given through the card system.