Power Outage Spoiled Your Food? Here’s What SNAP Users Should Know

When a weather event like this past Monday’s record-breaking blizzard hits, power outages are not uncommon. Hopefully, it’s just a brief interruption of service, but sometimes it can drag on for days. If you have a refrigerator full of food, you may start to get concerned that it will all go bad before power is restored – especially considering the high price of groceries these days.

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If you purchase food using SNAP benefits, it can be even more concerning; you could be weeks away from your next round of benefits and find yourself scrambling to replace the food lost to spoilage.

However, those who do receive SNAP benefits have an extra layer of protection from the Department of Transitional Assistance they might not be aware of, which can ease some of that anxiety.

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Who Qualifies for SNAP Food Replacement in Massachusetts?

“If you lost food that you bought with your SNAP benefits because of a fire, flood, loss of electricity, broken refrigerator/freezer, or other disaster, we may be able to replace your benefits,” according to Mass.gov.

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However, there are a few catches. One, the most that can be replaced is one month’s worth of SNAP benefits. Two, you only have 10 days after the loss to report it. So if your power went out during the blizzard on Monday, February 23, you have to report it by Wednesday, March 4.

How to Report Spoiled Food to DTA

Those who receive SNAP benefits in Massachusetts were notified via text message earlier today.

If you missed it, you can report the loss online using the SNAP 9B form or over the phone on the DTA Assistance Line at 1‐877‐382‐2363.