Tribes are expanding pantry hours, adding workers and using alternative sources to stock their shelves.
EBT
Posted inMaine
Pandemic money delayed for some needy families
The P-EBT program was supposed to help Maine’s poorest families buy food during the pandemic, but delays with the EBT card manufacturer mean it’ll be weeks before some get the money.
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bruce Poliquin tries again to win support for bill to target food stamp fraud
A proposal by a Maine Republican congressman would disqualify anyone with a felony conviction for trafficking drugs from receiving food stamps forever, “This will help make sure limited welfare benefits are saved to compassionately help moms and dads put food on the table for hungry kids,” U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin said on the House floor […]
Posted inMaine
Maine GOP hopes Trump administration will back food stamp restrictions
AUGUSTA — Maine resident Zak McCutcheon says he likes soda but acknowledges he’d drink less of it if his governor convinced Republican President Donald Trump to put restrictions on the approximately $200 a month he receives in food stamps. He thinks it may even make recipients healthier and less overweight. “If I was more restricted […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Maine EBT phone number sends callers to sex line
Only he hadn’t. In a misprint on some cards, the number to report a lost or stolen card to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services is actually the number of a phone sex line for women. It’s one digit off from the DHHS Customer Service number. When called, the incorrect line immediately picks […]
Posted inMaine
Maine jails continue to collect EBT cards that don’t belong to inmates
AUBURN — County jail administrators said this week that they continue to confiscate Electronic Benefit Transfer cards from inmates during intake when the card is not in the name of the person who has it. The cards, used for the distribution of state and federal welfare benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known […]
Posted inMaine
Maine to issue photo EBT cards
AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Health and Human Services said Friday it intends to move forward with a Gov. Paul LePage plan to put photographs on the state’s electronic benefits transfer cards. EBT cards are similar to bank debit cards and are used by the state to issue a variety of welfare benefits, including […]
Posted inMaine
USDA asks for plan on Maine EBT card photos
AUGUSTA — A federal agency is asking Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to provide details on its efforts to pilot a new benefits card system that would include recipients’ photos. The state uses electronic benefits transfer cards to dispense a variety of public assistance, including the largely federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Republicans continue to push welfare reforms
AUGUSTA — Maine Republican lawmakers continue to push for proposals to overhaul the state’s welfare program, but they face significant opposition from majority Democrats. Dozens of Republicans gathered outside of the State House on Friday to support the measures, which among other things would limit the use of electronic benefit cards to alcohol and cigarettes. […]
Posted inMaine
LePage bills target use of welfare money
AUGUSTA — As promised earlier this year, Gov. Paul LePage filed four bills Friday aimed at tightening restrictions on the use of electronic benefit cards used by welfare recipients. Democrats said certain elements of the governor’s proposals raise red flags; they urged him to instead focus his administration’s efforts on enforcement of current welfare fraud crimes. […]