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<p class="MsoNormal">Good evening, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Revisions have been made to the following Washington Administrative Codes (WACs) governing basic food assistance standards:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt">WAC 388-412-0015 "<i>General information about your food assistance allotments.</i>"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt">WAC 388-450-0185 "<i>What income deductions does the department allow when determining if I am eligible for food benefits and the amount of my monthly benefits?</i>"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt">WAC 388-450-0190 "<i>How does the department figure my shelter cost income deduction for basic food?</i>"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt">WAC 388-450-0195 "<i>Does the department use my utility costs when calculating my basic food or WASHCAP benefits?</i>"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:7.5pt">WAC 388-478-0060 "<i>What are the income limits and maximum benefit amounts for basic food?</i>"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These changes were requested by the Department of Social and Health Services to implement the annual update, in compliance with requirements of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and to incorporate
a simplified shelter deduction option for basic food benefit calculations of homeless households. These changes may increase basic food benefit allotments.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A document with the detailed changes can be accessed at this link:
<a href="https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SHS-4745.7Final.pdf">https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SHS-4745.7Final.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please make sure we are not utilizing this information to determine basic food eligibility or amount of benefits for students as there are numerous factors that must be considered and eligibility must be determined by a trained DSHS staff.
Please continue to direct potential Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to the
<a href="https://www.washingtonconnection.org/home/">Washington Connection</a> portal or your local DSHS Community Service Office to begin the application process. Students can also be connected to your ABAWD Navigator (may have a different title on your campus)
to learn about SNAP and other resources. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for all the work you do to support students experiencing food insecurity!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Respectfully, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Erin<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass " style='position:absolute;margin-left:-12.5pt;margin-top:-33.5pt;width:24.6pt;height:49.55pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' filled="t">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="33" height="66" style="width:.3385in;height:.6875in" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D5EB4A.EA9A84C0" align="left" hspace="12" alt="Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass " v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><b><span style="font-family:"Californian FB",serif;color:#2C86A6">Erin
Frasier, Ed.D.</span></b><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#2C86A6">Policy Associate, Workforce Education<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">1300 Quince Street SE | PO Box 42495 | Olympia, WA 98504-2495<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">P: (360) 704-4339 E:
</span><span style="color:#006666"><a href="mailto:efrasier@sbctc.edu"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:blue">efrasier@sbctc.edu</span></a></span><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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