SAIPAN — The CNMI Nutrition Assistance Program says the 20 percent benefit increase announced after this year’s major disasters remains in place and staff are working to deliver it to eligible recipients as soon as possible, though the program has not said when the additional benefits will arrive. The release, issued Friday by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, follows repeated NMI News Service inquiries on behalf of recipients awaiting the increase.
NAP acknowledged community concern over “what may appear to be a delay,” attributing the wait to extensive updates required to its processing and EBT systems. The program said it is working with its EBT processor to apply the increase correctly without disrupting existing benefits, and is “actively moving through the final steps.”
“We understand that these additional benefits are important to families across the CNMI, and we are committed to completing the process as quickly as possible while protecting the accuracy and reliability of benefit issuance,” DCCA Secretary Francisco M. Rabauliman said.
Separately, the expiration date for D-NAP and NAP Disaster Supplemental benefits remains October 31. NAP said it is working to extend that deadline and is consulting with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, with additional information to come once a determination is made.
NAP said it will continue providing updates and will notify recipients as soon as the increase is available. The NAP office can be reached at (670) 237-2800.
