Below is a summary of responses from Carlene Russell (IA) question concerning the usage of food stamps at meal sites and for home delivered meals.
Date: January 30, 2003
From: Carlene Russell (IA)
I have questions about usage of food stamps at meal sites and for home delivered meals. Iowa will finally be implementing the EBT card for food stamps beginning this spring. The sites with less than $100 per month usage of food stamps will be using a paper voucher system which requires a call to verify the individual has an adequate food stamp balance. The both the individual and the meal site representative need to sign the voucher. I am interested in learning about how to maintain confidentiality in using food stamps with the meal programs? Has the EBT system resulted in food stamps no longer being used as voluntary contribution?
Since I have been in my position for 3 years, except for one program, providers have not utilized foodstamps with the home-delivered meal program or at the congregate sites. Apparently they stopped when the EBT card went into effect indicating it was more complicated. We are currently revisiting that and are hoping to do outreach in the near future. As we move forth and have more details, I will send you additional information. Lia Baroody (NH)
We have the "Access Oklahoma" Debit card. All participants (to ensure confidentiality) are given manual vouchers. They can fill out the voucher with their card number and the amount they wish to give. Vouchers are placed in an envelope and given to persons who deliver the meals. The envelopes are returned to the nutrition site, sent to the
nutrition project, and then the project calls them in. This is a difficult process due to time restraints. The time of signing to Food Stamp office cannot exceed 10 days.
Since inception of the debit card, we have had fewer participants use them. Kim Quigley (OK)
In AZ some centers use either the paper vouchers or the EBT machines. One Area Agency doesn't use the food stamps as the director feels that it might deter someone from eating at the center. I'll try to find out more from the centers that actually do use them but it might take some time. Sue Zevan (AZ)
In SD we have been slowly increasing the use of Food Stamps since the EBT cards have been initiated. We have almost doubled the use. We use for both
C1 & C2 donations toward a 20 punch meal ticket. C1 - site managers call in or in the main cities with several sites the participant may take to the main office for call in.
For HDM's some of the projects have received permission to not have the HDM participant sign. Either the site manager at in the smaller communities or the HDM coordinator in larger communities handle the vouchers for the HDM participants. Becci Fonck (SD)
Implementation of the food stamp EBT card pretty much eliminated food stamp donations in WA because of the same issues that have been raised by others. Thank you to those of you who sent info on ways to continue this despite EBT. Kim Kelley (WA)
In Virginia, food stamps could be used for HDM and congregate site contributions. Only one AAA received any. With the arrival of EBT, it was too expensive to purchase the EBT machine based on the volume of food stamps received. As a result, food stamps are no longer used. Carol Driskill (VA)