OMAHA - The Douglas County Board said Dollar General gift cards were originally chosen for the county’s general assistance program because the retailer reportedly did not sell prohibited items such as alcohol and tobacco when the arrangement began. County officials believed the cards offered an accessible and cost-effective way to provide assistance to low-income residents who were not eligible for other public aid programs. However, State Auditor Mike Foley’s investigation identified instances in which the cards were used to purchase prohibited products, including cigarettes, beer and other alcoholic beverages.

County officials emphasized that the auditor’s findings were based on a limited and targeted sample. Foley’s team reviewed 100 of the nearly 26,000 Dollar General gift cards distributed between 2023 and 2026, with those cards selected specifically because they had raised red flags. The County Board has therefore cautioned against viewing the reviewed transactions as representative of the entire program. Still, the county is responding to the concerns by ending its use of Dollar General gift cards and searching for another vendor that does not sell alcohol or tobacco.

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