Recipients of food stamps now have an easier way to pay fortheir grocery needs, thanks to a little yellow card.

The electronic food stamps, called Electronic Benefits Transfer(EBT), are a technologically advanced way of delivering TANF(Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and food stamp benefitswithout issuing a paper check or paper coupons.

“It looks like a debit card and acts like a debit card,” saidJohn Davis, director of the division of economic assistance forLincoln County Department of Human Services.

The cards, which were issued in Lincoln County in August, can beused at debit machines at store checkouts and at standard automatedteller machines with the Quest logo. Only TANF recipients canwithdraw cash.

The state Department of Human Services, which administers thewelfare program, started the EBT system in May allowing countiesample time for training welfare recipients and converting to thenew system.

“We trained about 2,200 people in the last week of July,” saidDavis. “They had to watch a video, and an EBT trainer told them allabout the card.”

The training sessions appeared to have helped welfare recipientsfeel comfortable with using their new cards, said DHSofficials.

“We’ve not had any major problems in this county. The transitionwent well,” said Gladys Dunaway, a client servicesrepresentative.

DHS officials also noted that grocery and convenience storeclerks believe cards let lines move quicker, because they are lesstrouble than the paper checks or coupons.

“We were afraid there would be some people who could not usetheir card, like elderly people who have never had any type ofcard, but we haven’t had any problems with that,” said Davis,adding that the only reported problems have been with peopleforgetting their four-digit pin codes.

EBT cards also have other benefits over paper checks andcoupons, said DHS officials.

Not only do they help people deal with pride issues when usingthe government issued money, but cards also decrease the chance forfraud and theft.

“People seem to be excited about it,” said Dunaway. “The mainthing they like is that no on can steal them out of their mailboxevery month, which was a common problem with food stamps.”

The cards must be signed on the back and have the recipient’sname on the front. They can only be accessed through a four-digitpin code, known only to the recipient.

Cards that are stolen are lost cannot be used by another person.The cards can also be canceled immediately in those cases byrecipients reporting to DHS officials.

“It’s so much better than having those food coupons, because ifyou lose the card you still don’t lose your money,” said Davis.

Recipients also don’t have to worry about losing their benefitsif they move out-of-state because the cards can be used in otherstates with the EBT program.