Emergency Energy Assistance

You must have a shut-off notice from your utility company to be eligible for emergency assistance.  

Atlantic County Residence:

Ocean Community Economic Action Now (O.C.E.A.N.)

Atlantic City Office

200 N Texas Ave

Atlantic City, NJ 08401

(609) 345-1359

Galloway Office

76 West Jimmie Leeds Rd Suite 103

Galloway, NJ 08205

(609) 677-6801

Pleasantville Office

2 West Glendale Ave

Pleasantville, NJ 08232

(609)677-8202

Cape May County Residence:

Puerto Rican Action Committee (PRAC) of Southern New Jersey

801 Washington Ave

Woodbine, NJ 08270

(609) 861-5800

New Jersey to Launch Online Grocery Shopping for SNAP Recipients

Amazon, Walmart, ShopRites & The Fresh Grocers to Accept SNAP Online Orders

May 20, 2020

(TRENTON) –  New Jerseyans enrolled in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be able to use their benefits to order groceries online starting next week.  Online shopping will be available through Amazon and participating Walmarts, ShopRites and The Fresh Grocers.

NJ SNAP recipients will be able to use their benefits card to order groceries from Amazon starting on May 27. Walmarts, ShopRites and The Fresh Grocers that that provide online shopping will also accept online ordering with SNAP benefits starting on May 28.

“Online grocery shopping is another important step in our efforts to get affordable groceries to New Jerseyans during this public health emergency,” Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson said. “Having the option to order groceries online is more important than ever, as we all work together to stay-at-home as much as possible.  We hope that the launch of SNAP online grocery shopping promotes equity by providing participants access to a convenient tool that many New Jerseyans are already using to comply with the stay-at-home order.”

NJ SNAP currently serves about 700,000 New Jerseyans in 356,000 households, with the monthly SNAP benefit based on household size and income.

Recipients will be able to use their Families First Electronic Benefits Transfer card to purchase eligible groceries from the participating retailers. Under federal rules, SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay for delivery fees.

To learn more, recipients can visit Amazon.com/SNAP to register their EBT card. Visit here to learn about Walmart’s SNAP online program.  Any Walmart, ShopRite or The Fresh Grocer that currently provides online shopping will also accept online ordering with SNAP benefits.

New Jersey received federal approval for online SNAP grocery shopping from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In addition to online SNAP grocery ordering, Human Services has taken the following steps to help New Jerseyans access affordable food during the emergency:

·         Distributed an extra $106 million in additional benefits to SNAP recipients since the start of the emergency.

·         Ensured that everyone whose benefits were up for renewal in March and April, or are due in May or June were extended for six months, meaning that nobody’s SNAP benefits will be ended during these extensions for not completing the renewal.

·         Made it easier to apply for SNAP during this emergency by waiving the normally required interview and the hard copy signature on applications, so as to reduce the need for face-to-face interactions.

·         Updated our online system to make it easier for SNAP applicants to track their application.

·         Received federal approval to provide about 600,000 children who normally receive free or reduced-price school meals $416.10 each to help with nutritional support during the time that schools have been closed during the pandemic.  Benefits will be delivered in June.

"For those New Jersey families who may have difficulty getting to the grocery store - and that may be for a variety of different reasons -- using SNAP benefits online can make the basics of feeding yourself or your family a little less complicated,” said Human Services Assistant Commissioner Natasha Johnson, who directs the Division of Family Development that oversees NJ SNAP. "We continue to urge residents to visit njhelps.org to learn more and apply for food assistance and other benefits."

NJ Human Services Announces $36 Million in Additional Food Assistance

Many NJ SNAP Recipients Will Receive Enhanced Benefits

https://www.njhelps.org/

(TRENTON) – Many New Jerseyans who receive food assistance through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NJ SNAP) will receive additional benefits in May to help address critical food needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

An additional $36 million will be provided to about 214,000 New Jersey households in May.

SNAP supplemental payments were included in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. In March and April, Human Services announced $70 million in total additional NJ SNAP benefits that were provided to New Jerseyans to help purchase groceries.  

 “During this tough time, we want to make sure that we are providing as much food assistance as possible to eligible households for as long as we can,” Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson said. “I continue to thank our Congressional delegation for their efforts to protect and help residents as we respond to this pandemic.”

The supplemental benefits will be directly loaded to NJ SNAP recipients’ Families First EBT cards as part of their regular monthly payment.

NJ SNAP provides food assistance to families with low incomes to help them buy groceries through a benefit card accepted in most food retail stores and farmer’s markets.  

NJ SNAP currently serves about 674,000 New Jerseyans in 343,000 households.  Households eligible for the NJ SNAP supplemental benefit will receive the difference between their regular SNAP benefit and the maximum benefit for their family size.  These supplements will be in addition to standard monthly benefits.  Households’ standard monthly SNAP benefit is based on household size and income.   Under federal policies implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, households that already receive the federal allowable maximum SNAP benefit are not eligible for supplemental payments. 

“These extra benefit payments will prove critical to many New Jersey households, especially older adults and individuals with disabilities,” Human Services Deputy Commissioner Elisa Neira said. “Access to additional food assistance is more important than ever, and we hope that these new resources will give many individuals and families additional peace of mind.”

“During this difficult time, we encourage residents who need food assistance to visit and apply for SNAP online at www.NJHelps.org,” said Assistant Commissioner Natasha Johnson, who directs the Department of Human Services’ Division of Family Development and oversees the SNAP program. “We appreciate the dedicated staff at the County Boards of Social Services who are essential to getting these critical services to New Jersey families.” 

Human Services also received federal approval to extend NJ SNAP recertification periods to six months for cases that were expiring in March, April and May. This means families receiving SNAP will not have benefit interruptions during that time. 

New Jersey Resources Directory 2020-2021

The 2020-2021 New Jersey Resources Directory is a comprehensive resource guide identifying the various programs and services the Department of Human Services offers to New Jersey residents, caregivers and advocates. In this guide, a family can find out more information on how to apply for food, income and employment assistance, as well as health care and much more. A caregiver can get information on support programs and services to assist them in caring for their loved ones. And individuals with disabilities and their families can get information on various services that include in-home supports, vocational rehabilitation, and education.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, you can reach our certified Information and Referral specialists through the Division of Disability Services toll-free at 1-888-285-3036. 

el Directorio de Recursos de New Jersey 2020-2021

¡Nos complace presentarles el Directorio de Recursos de New Jersey 2020-2021! La guía es un recurso integral que identica los diversos programas y servicios que el Departamento de Servicios Humanos ofrece a los residentes, cuidadores y defensores de New Jersey. En esta guía, una familia puede encontrar más información sobre cómo solicitar ayuda para alimentos, ingresos y el empleo, así como atención médica y mucho más. Un cuidador puede

obtener información sobre programas y servicios de apoyo para ayudarlos a cuidar a sus seres queridos. Y las personas con discapacidades y sus familias pueden obtener información sobre diversos servicios que incluyen asistencia en el hogar, rehabilitación vocacional y educación. Si tiene alguna pregunta o necesita asistencia adicional, puede comunicarse con nuestros especialistas certicados en Información y Referencias a través de la División de Servicios para Personas con Discapacidades llamando gratis al 1-888-285-3036.

Social Security Announces Benefit Increase for 2021

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 1.3 percent in 2021, the Social Security Administration announced today.

The 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2021. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2020. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $142,800 from $137,700.

Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. Most people who receive Social Security payments will be able to view their COLA notice online through their personal my Social Securityaccount. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Information about Medicare changes for 2021, when announced, will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2021 are announced. Final 2021 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security's Message Center.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

NOTE: Here is a fact sheet showing the effect of the various automatic adjustments.