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applications for five calendar days. Benefits will be issued no later than three days following the date of application.

9. Length of Duration of the Program: (Indicate the disaster period requested, by indicating the start and end date, usually a full month. Depending on the nature of the disaster, USDA may advise the state of the parameters.) EX: A full month’s benefit period is requested because of the severity of the flooding and the fact that affected households lost all food in addition to lost income and disaster-related expenses.

10. Disaster Relief Agencies: (Indicate which other agencies will participate in taking and processing applications or issuing benefits and specify the functions they will perform.) Other agencies could include the Red Cross or Salvation Army.

EX: We do not anticipate using a Disaster Relief Agency to certify or issue benefits.

11. Public Information: (Identify the newspapers, radio stations, television stations, and key media outlets or government web sites the local agency will use.) EX: We will contact the Independent News Courier and WPDK radio to disseminate information about the program, the criteria, and hours of operation. We will post the information on the City’s web page, and direct community partners to the city and state web sites.

12. Procedures for Processing and Accepting Applications: Explain where applications will be taken, including crowd management at sites and fraud prevention measures.) EX: Applications will be taken for 7 days, October 7 through October 13, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the City Human Resources Center. Designated senior management will take and process any employee applications. All applications will be screened for duplicate participation. The Sheriff’s Department is on call to assist with security of the facility. The plan needs to address:

a. Description of any activities to help applicants understand how to complete the application (language issues) b. Screening activities c. Any volunteers used d. Description of alternate locations e Procedures to reduce applicant hardship (i.e. water, bathrooms, etc.) f. Accessibility for the elderly or disabled

13. Procedures for Processing Benefits: (Explain benefit issuance procedures.) EX: Applicants will be screened to prevent duplicate participation. Benefits to eligible households will be issued on a vault card by staff authorized to set up accounts in the EBT system and post benefits. Will the client be given a card the day of the application or will they be required to pick up the card another day? Specify different procedures for:

a. Ongoing households b. New applicants c. Special needs population (elderly, disabled, etc) d. Estimate how long it will take to process applications e. Describe any alternate sites that will be used f. Crowd control measures

TRANSMITTAL #35