Food and Nutrition Services

Food and Nutrition Services Emergency Allotment Waiver Ending

On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 was signed into law. As a result, emergency allotments will be ending effective March 2023. February 2023 will be the final month for emergency allotments. General notices will be issued to households that have active FNS cases. A press release regarding the ending of Emergency Allotments was posted to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) website on January 12, 2023. Emergency allotments benefits will no longer be issued, benefits will go back to regular monthly benefit amounts based on a recipient or household's current eligibility, income, household size and other federal eligibility requirements, starting March 2023. The average FNS benefit per recipient per day will decrease from $8.12 to $5.45. In addition, if updates were made retroactively to a household's case for February 2023 or prior, the FNS emergency allotment will be adjusted along with the normal monthly allotment, as appropriate. NC FAST will continue to run monthly catch-up batches for households to receive the correct emergency allotment amounts.

FNS recipients can check their FNS/emergency allotment balance and transaction history three ways:

  • Visit website www.ebtedge.com
  • Download and use the EBT Edge mobile app (can be downloaded on Google Play or Apple Store).
  • Contact the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-800-622-7328 and follow the prompts.

Resources

Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)

EBT is a method North Carolina uses to issue Food & Nutrition Services benefits. The FNS benefits are placed in an EBT or E-Funds account each month. FNS recipient households use a magnetic stripe card, much a credit or debit card, to buy food at USDA authorized grocery stores. Once an FNS application is processed, the head of household is sent an EBT card.

To Apply

You may apply in person at the local Department of Social Services (DSS) in the state/county where you reside. You may go to the FNS website and complete the application online and submit to DSS by mail or by fax.

If you are a Carteret County resident, you may mail application to:

Department of Social Services
210 Craven Street
Beaufort, NC 28516

The date of the application is the date the completed, signed, and dated application is received in the DSS agency in the county where you reside. If eligible, benefits cannot begin prior to the application date. You may be required to come into the agency to complete the interview. If you have circumstances that prevent you from coming into the agency, contact DSS at 252-728-3181.