Anger has arisen over mixed messages regarding disaster food stamp eligibility here, resulting in an apology from Terri Cosey, director of the Warren County Department of Human Services.

Lines formed Monday at the Jackson Street Community Center after Vicksburg Mayor Laurence Leyens announced vouchers would be provided there to people who lost food during local power outages that started Aug. 29 and continued through Friday.

Terri Adkins was among local residents who visited the center hoping to seek financial aid. She was upset after being turned away.

“They’re all wanting to help evacuees,” Adkins said. “And that leaves the locals. What do they expect us to do?”

Food stamp allocations, given via a debit card, are posted to eligible families’ accounts once per month.

Cosey said that despite confusion, only Hurricane Katrina evacuees who happen to be in Warren County may apply for and receive such benefits at the Jackson Street center.

“Unfortunately, no Warren County residents are eligible to receive” disaster benefits, Cosey said. Also, while there have been conflicting reports, Cosey said no aid was actually provided before the decision was rescinded.

Local residents are not barred from applying for aid. Citizens “are welcome to come into the office and we will determine eligibility,” Cosey said. “This would be under the regular food stamp guidelines.”

About 200 applications from evacuees to receive assistance have been approved, Cosey said. The amount given has been as little as $149, Cosey said. She could not immediately provide the maximum value of food-stamp benefits for evacuees.

Cosey said her agency was directed by the state DHS to “locate a facility to operate a disaster food stamp benefits site for non-food stamp clients at a later date.” However, she said the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds the state program, informed Warren County DHS Monday that it is not one of 15 counties approved for such a site.

Cosey expressed remorse for the confusion, but declined to take responsibility for it. She also refused to blame the state.

“All I’m saying is that the state contacted our office and told us to locate a facility to operate a disaster food-stamp benefits site for a later date,” Cosey said. “The USDA called us Monday and told us we were not one of 15 counties approved for a site. I don’t know why.”

Warren County residents may apply for food stamps at the Warren County DHS on Openwood Street. Eligibility criteria, income and resource limits and allotment maximums per household size are set by federal law.

Staff writer Amanda V. Hebert contributed to this report.