8A | OCTOBER 29, 2020
|
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
SNAP waiver expands options for food benefits in Lane, Douglas counties
A waiver approved by the
U.S. Department of Agri-
culture Food and Nutrition
Service (FNS) allows Sup-
plemental Nutrition Assis-
tance Program (SNAP) and
Disaster SNAP recipients
in the Lane and Douglas
counties, as well as the 21
other counties to purchase
hot or prepared foods from
authorized SNAP retailers
until Nov. 20.
Other counties include
Benton, Clackamas, Co-
lumbia Coos, Curry, De-
schutes, Hood River, Jack-
son, Josephine, Jefferson,
Klamath, Lake, Lincoln,
Linn, Marion, Multnomah,
Polk, Tillamook, Wasco,
Washington and Yamhill.
Normally, SNAP bene-
fits cannot be used to pur-
chase “hot food products
prepared for immediate
consumption.” This re-
striction is being waived
following the severe winds
and wildfires that led to the
displacement of many resi-
dents and left them without
access to a kitchen to pre-
pare meals.
Examples of allowable
prepared foods include hot
deli foods, fountain drinks,
including but not limited
to coffee and tea, a slice
of hot/prepared pizza, hot
soup, salad bars, and sand-
wiches.
This waiver will last
through Nov. 20 and allows
SNAP and DSNAP recipi-
ents to use their benefits to
buy prepared food at any
participating retailer that
accepts SNAP EBT cards.
Restaurant purchases are
still prohibited.
For more information
about the hot food waiv-
er,
visit
www.oregon.
gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/
FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/
DSNAP-Hot-Foods-Waiv-
er.aspx.
Emergency
Allotment
Update:
Oregon also received ap-
proval from FNS to provide
maximum emergency al-
lotment benefits for SNAP
recipients in November.
The emergency allotments,
see schedule below, will
bring families not receiv-
ing the maximum SNAP
allotment for their house-
hold size to the maximum
for the seventh consecutive
month.
Issuance date (SNAP re-
cipients will see the benefit
the following day)
• Nov. 10: Current SNAP
households not receiving
the SNAP maximum allot-
ment
• Nov. 27: New SNAP
recipients between Nov. 10
and Nov. 27
from A1
Incentive applications
must then be submitted
within 60 days of installa-
tion.
For residents, the pro-
gram is off ering incentives
such as a $1,000 gas fur-
nace rebate, up to $8 per
square foot for Energy Star
windows and rebates on
wall, attic and fl oor insu-
lation.
While energy-effi cient
investments can decrease
residents’ utility bills, they
may also help communi-
ties meet growth demands
by reducing the need for
gas companies such as NW
Natural to invest in costly
infrastructure upgrades,
eff ectively allowing com-
panies to maintain output
with existing equipment.
Depending on results,
similar future programs
may pop up in the region,
focusing on small commu-
nities which can off er high-
er incentives.
Th e program is set to run
until July 31, 2021.
For pre-qualifi cation and
to help confi rm a home’s
eligibility, call 1-866-311-
1811 or email residential@
energytrust.org.
More information can be
found by visiting online at
www.energytrust.org/in-
centives/increased-incen-
tives-for-select-nw-natural
-customers.
Pilot
Energy Trust is encour-
aging applicants to work
with one of the nonprof-
it’s trade ally contractors,
which are listed on the
website, in order to ensure
qualifi cations are met.
150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
ENJOYING A
NEW SHOWER
IS EASIER THAN
YOU THINK
Quality Cleaning
Certifi ed Green
Carpet Cleaning
Specialists
541-942-0420
CALL TODAY
newshowerdeal.com/grove | 855-408-9139
With traditional Halloween activities like indoor parties and trick-or-treating posing an increased risk for COVID-19 spread,
the CDC recommends the following activity guidelines for safer celebrating this year:
Carve or decorate pumpkins
with members of your
household. If you carve
pumpkins with neighbors or
friends, do so outdoors at a safe
distance wearing masks.
Create a
“candy hunt”
by hiding treats
throughout
the house
or yard.
Host a
virtual
costume
contest or
party.
Have some fun crafting
decorations and dressing up
your home.
Enjoy a Halloween movie night at
home with spooky snacks.
Plan a Halloween scavenger hunt. Give
your kids a list of Halloween-themed
things to search for while you walk the
neighborhood admiring Halloween
decorations at a distance.
If you decide to participate in these activities, here are some tips to help protect your family and others:
Trick-or-Treating
• Set up one-way trick-or-treating with individually wrapped
goodie bags lined up at the edge of your driveway or lawn for
families to pick up while maintaining a safe distance. Be sure
to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second
before and after preparing goodie bags.
Outdoor Parties & Parades
Haunted Trails
• Stay outdoors in the open air.
• Limit the number of participants to a small group.
• Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between people at all
times.
• Wear protective masks. A costume mask should not be used
to replace a protective mask, unless it is made of two or more
layers of breathable fabric, covers the mouth and nose, and
leaves no gaps around the face. Wearing a costume mask over
a protective cloth mask can make it diffi cult to breathe, so
consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask instead.
• Make sure these are one-way outdoor activities.
• Make sure protective masks and social distancing are enforced.
• If screaming is likely to occur, distancing of more than 6 feet
between people is advised. The greater the distance, the lower
the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
Pumpkin Patches & Orchards
• Use hand sanitizer before touching
pumpkins or picking apples.
• Wear a mask and practice social distancing.
The CDC recommends avoiding high-risk activities like traditional trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treat events, indoor parties, and haunted houses and hayrides.
Please remember, if you feel ill or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, avoid in-person Halloween activities and do not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.
G ABRIELE W ELLNESS C ENTER
G OODWILL I NDUSTRIES
L ANE E LECTRIC
502 E Whiteaker Avenue
541-649-1450
1205 Hwy, 99 N
541-942-1571
787 Bailey Hill Rd, Eugene
541-484-1151
N ORTH D OUGLAS C OUNTY F IRE & EMS
S TARFIRE L UMBER
531 S Cedar St., Drain
541-836-2282
2795 Mosby Creek Rd,
Cottage Grove
B OYCE & S ONS
L ANDSCAPE & B UILDING M ATERIALS
F OUNTAIN G UTTERS
H OYER A CCOUNTING
32370 Picknell St
541-729-9515
516 E Whiteaker Ave
541-942-8241
P INOCCHIO ’ S P IZZA
B RADS C OTTAGE G ROVE C HEVROLET
795 E Main St
541-942-5531
2775 Row River Rd
541-942-4415
79149 N River Rd
541-942-4664
T HE B OOKMINE
702 E Main Street
541-942-7414