TO:	Local District Commissioners, Food Stamp Directors, TA Directors, Staff Development Coordinators   

FROM:	Russell Sykes, Deputy Commissioner Division of Employment and Transitional Supports

SUBJECT:	Extension of DFSP in Four Counties (Broome, Delaware, Montgomery, Tioga)

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 21, 2006	

CONTACT PERSON: Food Stamp Bureau 518-473-1469	for Policy Questions, or 518-473-7991 for WMS System Questions

The Disaster Food Stamp Program has been extended through Tuesday July 25th, 2006 in the four counties hardest hit by the recent severe flooding.  This extension was needed because these counties continue to see a flow of applicants and believe that additional households may apply in the coming days in response to recent outreach efforts.  For these four counties of Broome, Delaware, Montgomery and Tioga all of the federally approved conditions of the Disaster Food Stamp Program (DFSP) remain in effect.  Manual reporting of Disaster application numbers will remain in effect.  As stated before (GIS 06 TA/WMS021) WMS will remain available to all districts from 9 am. until 4pm. on Saturday July 22 and Sunday, July 23rd, 2006 for all WMS update transactions and BICS inquiry.

Authority to operate the DFSP the program and its special provisions in the eight other Counties (Chenango (Herkimer, Oneida, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster),   that were previously approved will expire at the close of business today July 21st, 2006.   Districts are reminded that they must retain all DFSP case records to be available for review in the coming time period for state and federal review.