Nunatsiavut Government: Levels of support provided under COVID-19 Food Supplement programs specific to households

January 14, 2021

On December 2, 2020, the Nunatsiavut Government announced details of a second round of support initiatives aimed at assisting Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims deal with impacts associated with the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the COVID-19 Food Supplement programs being offered in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area, in Upper Lake Melville and the Constituency of Canada is to ensure seniors, low-income families and individuals have access to nutritional food (and equipment necessary to prepare food).

Under the programs, the Nunatsiavut Government provides gift cards or purchase orders on a bi-weekly basis for seniors (65 years of age and older) and eligible family units.

The level of support provided is determined by the age and gender of each household member. Successful applicants will receive 50 per cent of the weekly cost to feed a family of four in Newfoundland and Labrador. Rates in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area have been adjusted to take into account the higher cost of living and are specific to individual households. Rates are the same in Upper Lake Melville and the Constituency of Canada.

The support being provided serves as a supplement and is not intended to cover all costs to feed a family.

Eligible purchases include all food items (including yoghurt tubes and ice cream), with the exception of pop, energy drinks, chips, bars, candy, etc. Dishes, cutlery, food storage containers and laundry detergent are also permitted to be purchased.

Ineligible purchases include lottery tickets, tobacco products and alcohol.

Beneficiaries who have not yet applied for support can still do so. The deadline to apply for the next round is January 25. Gift cards that are not used within two weeks of being issued will be deemed void.

Purchase orders will be issued on the following dates:

January 15         January 29

February 12      February 26

March 12            March 25

How to apply

Beneficiaries wishing to apply for COVID-19 Nunatsiavut Food Supplement Program are asked to contact the following in their respective communities during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday):

	Community/Constituency			Contact Person			Contact Numbers
	Nain and Canada			Rutie Dicker			709-922-2942 (ext. 222)
				Mary Adelaide			709-922-2942 (ext. 260)
	Hopedale			Ethel Hunter		709-933-3777
				Dawn Winters		709-933-3777
	Postville			Jennifer Jacque-Poole			709-479-9878 or 709-479-9842
				Betty Vincent		709-479-9880
	Makkovik			Carol Gear			709-923-2365 (ext. 201)
				Cathy Ford		709-923-2489
	Rigolet			Paula Sheppard-McLean			709-947-3383 (ext. 206)
				Lisa Palliser		709-947-3328
	Upper Lake Melville			Kelly Jacobs		709-896-4055
				Kim Voisey		709-896-3396
				April Ann Lucy		709-896-3806

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