Home  ·   News  ·   Weather  ·   Sports  ·   Jobs  ·   Community  ·   Pics N Videos  ·   Station  ·   Marketplace  ·   6 on Your Side  ·   Contests  ·   Get Connected  ·   Blogs
Health Check · Lottery · DTV · Seasonal · Mom to Mom · Traffic · The Omaha Buzz · CityCAMS · My Weather · School Closings · HS Cribs · Restaurants · McKnight Investigates
WOWT.com on Demand
6 On Your Cell
News, Sports & Weather
Information On Your Cell
Text ALERTS
Breaking News Alerts
Direct to Your Cell Phone
Daily e-News
News & Weather Updates
delivered via email
You Cast
Submit Your Pics
and Video
What's on 6
Your Guide to NBC
& WOWT Programming
Omaha Food Stamp Sites Down To Three Save Email Print
Other distribution sites in state to close
Posted: 11:37 AM Jul 14, 2008
Last Updated: 4:39 PM Jul 14, 2008
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

A | A | A

Five disaster food stamp sites around Nebraska were set to close Monday evening, but three distribution sites in Omaha will remain open until July 21st.

The Department of Health and Human Services said the first of the Disaster Food Stamp Assistance locations to open, those from the storms of late May and early June, are closing at the end of business Monday.

"The Disaster Food Stamp Assistance sites in Lexington, Kearney, Schuyler, Ceresco and at the Millard Fire Station in Omaha (7010 South 142nd St.) will close today," said Todd Landry, director of the DHHS division of Children and Family Services."

These are the sites that have distributing food stamps to storm victims. By last week, these sites had approved disaster assistance for more than 375 households, with disaster Food Stamp benefits of over $183,000.

Three sites in Omaha will remain open through July 21st to serve people hit by the June 27th storm.

"We don't want to cut anything off too soon before we've had the opportunity for people to come and apply,” says Barry DeJong with Health and Human Services. "There are people who are working, unable to make our time frames."

The sites are open six days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are closed on Sunday.

The three Omaha sites still open are:

  • Our Lady of Guadalupe Hall, 5005 S 23rd Street (This site will close Friday, July 18th.)
  • Family Resource Center, 3040 Lake Street
  • Salvation Army gymnasium, 24th and Pratt

    The DHHS Office at 12001 Q St. is no longer a disaster Food Stamp assistance site.

    Under this special disaster program, there is a limit of one month’s assistance. Some people who apply already receive food stamp benefits and need to get their spoiled food replaced, and some have never received food stamps before, but need assistance to help them recover from the storm. Once a person applies, their benefits will be available within three to five days. People who currently receive regular food stamps may see the disaster benefits put on their EBT card in two parts on different days.

    Applicants must bring documents to prove their identity (such as driver’s license, wage stub, birth certificate) and where they live (such as rent or mortgage receipt, post office records, utility bills, driver’s license). Disaster Food Stamp Assistance applications will be audited after the event. People who get benefits they are not entitled to will be required to pay them back.

    For more information about the Disaster Food Stamp Assistance for the Omaha area, contact DHHS at (402) 595-3400.

  • Click here for an application.

  • More Stories
    Pre-teen Burglars ?

    Attempted Armed Robbery

    Lawsuit Filed Over Teddy Bear Spying

    Man Eligible for Parole after 1-year on his tenth D.W.I. Conviction

    Pension Spiking Revealed Again

    Hearing Held In Attempted Murder Case

    Parking Rage Incident

    Flag Theft Arrest

    Post Your Comments
    First Name:
    Location:
    Enter Comments: characters left
    Email (optional):
    Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
    Read Comments
    Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
    Posted by: beautynme on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:48 PM
    I think people should just focus on themselves & not be concerned about others. No matter if they are receiving the food stamp aid, etc. It's nobody's business or place to judge anyone. Everyone has & always will have an opinion, but does it mean anything? Noone on this earth is perfect & only GOD can judge us.

    Posted by: Trading Places on Jul 17, 2008 at 04:51 AM
    Since when is seeking the benefits you are entitled to under the laws of the United States a handout? Food stamp assistance is YOUR RIGHT as provided by the laws of this land. Apparently, you self proclaimed "hard working taxpayers" don't seem to realize this is YOUR right as well. You may not choose to or you may not qualify for food stamp assistance, but should you ever need to, it will be there for you, too, despite your arrogance and ignorance. When Omaha lures corporations into Omaha, the corporations are granted all kinds of "government assistance" in the form of incentives and tax breaks just to get the corporation here so you can have a job. The arrogance and apathy of the working class filth in Omaha never ceases to amaze me. Are you jealous of those on government assistance? You should be impressed that for once disaster relief from the government is being distributed directly to the people rather than other government agencies. I'm impressed.

    Posted by: T on Jul 16, 2008 at 06:18 PM
    Oh Joe!I to am one who received the wonderful stimulus check.Guess what, I was not receiving a free handout,but receiving the monies that I worked hard for.I am so tired of listening to people complain about how we working people don't know what it's like to be them.Well,maybe we don't.Could it be because we work for a living,and we don't lay around our house looking for a handout.A comment was made before regarding that the government owed certain people who chose not to work.WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.ITS ALL YOU FREELOADERS WHO OWE ALL OF US HARDWORKING TAXPAYERS MONEY.FEED YOUR OWN FAMILIES FOR ONCE.(this message is not for those who truly need the help)

    Posted by: Myra on Jul 15, 2008 at 11:17 PM
    I know several of the families that live next to the Guadalupe Hall, one of the emergency site locations, and daily they are feeling like hostages in their own homes. When they wish to leave their driveways the people cued up in line are not moving for them so they have to just drive through. This is not safe for the applicants and not fair to the homeowners. Daily there is much trash and debris to pick up from those standing in line not to mention the destruction of property. Landscaping and vegetation has been pulled from the ground and destroyed. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church says it is not their responsibility it is the State's, even though they allow the State to use their property. The state says it is the Church's responsibility. It is a shame that those unfortunate enough to live near the sites have to bear the added burden of cleaning up after the State.

    Posted by: Here on Jul 15, 2008 at 02:21 PM
    CATHY...The woman apparently doesn't understand the word FOOD stamp. She thought maybe it said ANYTHING you want stamp. When I read that it made me laugh. Sorry for you having to stand in line for someone that isn't able to read. So you know when she made the call for someone to come and pay for it, she handed over that food stamp card to them. Shame on anyone who does that for someone.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 15, 2008 at 11:54 AM
    (To Here) How right you are! (To Joe) I do hate to point out that those stimulus checks were not truly hand outs, just our own money being returned to us by our lovely govt. Most of these welfare recipients are getting those "stimulus" checks from each and every tax payer just because they don't want to work. And it is far from being fair that they get free money that is taken away from the pockets of people who have their own families that are nearly starving and cannot get the help they have been paying in to. And these people should just suck it up to the fact that they just might have to live without a full three course meal and twinkies for a few days until their next pay check comes around, or they choose to use their credit card. Everyone has hard times, it's just that most people have to live through such times every day of their lives to put meager portions on their tables while others seem to think that one moment of bad luck is enough to get them free help.

    Posted by: She on Jul 15, 2008 at 09:43 AM
    Please tell me how to get $400 hundred to $600 dollars worth of food in a refrigerator?? Because I thought this assistance was for LOST FOOD? and as I see it, there is no way to get that amount of food in a refrigerator regardless of what kind of refrigerator you have or if you buy the top brand of everything. This is a scam. And people are taking advantace of it. The sad thing is they will because they can. I can see if people took 150 or 200 to refill what they lost but some people are just GREEDY!

    Posted by: carol on Jul 15, 2008 at 08:15 AM
    I just found out the other day how much some of these people are getting in food stamps and it make me sick. My daughter works everyday and yes she gets food stamps to help feed her two children but these people are getting on the average 5 times more than she gets and for what ...because of a couple of days without power. Come on people..buck up and take a little resposibility for yourselves and stop sucking up tax payers money.

    Posted by: Here on Jul 15, 2008 at 06:00 AM
    To JOE:::::I did not get a stimulus check, made to much money. Yep, got a good job, etc. But I am tired of my hard earned money going to these people that are capable of working just like me. I am more than happy to help the elderly and the disabled. Not the ones standing there hour upon hour smoking and on their cells phones. They would have some money if you cut those 2 bills out. And before anyone pops off, I was raised to support yourself and not to rely on anyone. That is one thing I was taught. It is called take care of youself. And no I didn't come from a wealthy family, I work for it!!!!

    Posted by: Maurice on Jul 15, 2008 at 05:05 AM
    Thank goodness for these food stamps ! How else can people NOT affected by the storm eat ! So many liars so many cheats . Just like the section * folks with 2008 cars in their drive ways . Hope you all have fun in front of God !!

    Posted by: Cathy on Jul 14, 2008 at 07:45 PM
    As I stood in line at Walmart Saturday afternoon, I watched a woman try and buy several hundred dollars in items that were non food items with her food stamp card. She kept swiping the card and shrugging her shoulders saying, it should work. Apparently she was under the impression she could buy anything with that card. She had pillows, candles, bedding and toys in 3 carts. I waited 45 minutes inline while she tried to get that card to work. Finally she called someone and told them to come pay for all her stuff and the cashier pushed her carts off to the side so she could ring other people up. She was telling people that she had received the assistance from the storm and had been told she could buy whatever it was she wanted. It's people like her that make others roll their eyes while they stand inline, watching people try and buy things not meant to be purchased on a food stamp card.

    Posted by: S.Jean on Jul 14, 2008 at 07:25 PM
    CLOSE THEM DOWN!!! Better yet, close down the "regular" offices. If you look into the history of Food Stamps you'll find that it was set up as a TEMPORARY government assistance program that should have ended decades ago. DECADES ago.

    Posted by: Again on Jul 14, 2008 at 06:38 PM
    I know two people who went and recieved these stamps, and they had no damage, didn't loose the electricity, they lost nothing. So I hope they do audit these applications. I don't mind helping out, but not when it goes to those who are lying about needing it.

    Posted by: Rather not say on Jul 14, 2008 at 04:16 PM
    I'm sure the requirements are listed there. Either you qualify or you don't. Remeber when family and friends would help each other in hard times. A friend of my niece gave her sever things from Omaha Steaks. How wonderful!

    Posted by: Gary on Jul 14, 2008 at 03:31 PM
    Ok Joe, I "accepted" my stimulus check. However, I did not stand in line for it under false pretenses. Let me guess, you were in line for this "hand-out"? I don't have a problem with LEGITIMATE need. That is what the assistance program is for...not greedy or lazy people who don't want to help themselves out of their situation.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 14, 2008 at 03:05 PM
    what person wants to go to those three sites. I went to the one on Q street Saturday and there was about 300 people

    Posted by: Joe on Jul 14, 2008 at 02:31 PM
    Before we hear the usual banter about recieving a government hand out, ask yourself, did you accept a $600 stimulus check? Do you accept farm subsidies? or think it's all right for the oil companies to recieve subsidies? Do you think it's all right for the government to bail out Fannie Mae for lending money to people they knew couldn't pay back? Guess what people? Those are governement hand outs. If you have no problem with this you shouldn't have a problem with the government helping out people who really need it.

    Posted by: pleaseinform on Jul 14, 2008 at 01:25 PM
    So are they just approving everyone who goes, and then going to put these people in potential overpayment once they sit down and review their applications? A $400 to $600 overpayment would be just as bad as having to come up with money to pay lost groceries. Many people have never received assistance before and may think this money is being furnished with no stipulation or contingency. Someone needs to clarify and clearly state that although everyone may be immediately approved or no one may be rejected initially, people run the risk of being put in overpayment due to income eligibility restrictions.

    AP Online Network
    YOU CAST - YOUR PICS N VIDEOS
    Media Partners