(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi households expecting to receive a regular EBT Kokua card may instead receive a SUN Bucks card, inadvertently.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS) notified Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants and participants of the mix up on Friday, estimating that approximately 800 households may have been impacted.
DHS says the mix-up is due to an error by the state’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendor, Fidelity Information Services (FIS). DHS is actively working with FIS to address and resolve the issue.
“We understand this issue may cause confusion for some households and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work with our vendor to resolve the matter as quickly as possible,” said DHS Acting Director Joseph Campos II in a news release. “Our priority is ensuring impacted households continue to have uninterrupted access to their benefits.”
The SUN Bucks cards will still function at retailers that accept EBT, DHS says. However, SNAP participants who received a SUN Bucks card in error are encouraged to contact their nearest DHS Processing Center to request an exchange for a regular Kokua card. Processing Centers are assisting clients who need replacement cards.
State officials say SNAP participants with questions about their EBT card may contact:
- Fidelity Information Services (FIS) at 1-888-328-4292
- DHS Public Assistance Information Line at 1-855-643-1643
