Food assistance through D-SNAP after Hurricane Helene

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According to Vibes.okdiario, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared that residents affected by Hurricane Helene in specific areas of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee may qualify for food assistance through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). This program is designed to provide temporary support to individuals facing difficulties in covering food expenses due to emergency situations.

What is D-SNAP?

D-SNAP allows individuals who typically do not qualify for assistance under the regular SNAP program to receive benefits if they meet specific criteria, such as income limits impacted by the disaster and disaster-related expenses.

Eligibility for D-SNAP in Georgia

In Georgia, an estimated 982,930 households could potentially benefit from this assistance, which aims to help affected families meet their basic food needs. The program will be implemented in four phases over several weeks. The details are as follows:

Phase 1: October 21, 2024 – October 26, 2024

Counties Included:

  • Bryan
  • Bulloch
  • Chatham
  • Effingham
  • Evans
  • Liberty
  • Long

Phase 2: October 29, 2024 – November 4, 2024

Counties Included:

  • Atkinson
  • Bacon
  • Ben Hill
  • Berrien
  • Brantley
  • Brooks
  • Camden
  • Charlton
  • Clinch
  • Coffee
  • Colquitt
  • Cook
  • Echols
  • Glynn
  • Irwin
  • Lanier
  • Lowndes
  • Pierce
  • Tift
  • Ware

Also read: RECALL UPDATE: BrucePac Meat Recall: Contaminated Meat Sent to Schools

Phase 3: November 7, 2024 – November 14, 2024

Counties Included:

  • Burke
  • Columbia
  • Glascock
  • Jefferson
  • Jenkins
  • Lincoln
  • McDuffie
  • Richmond
  • Screven
  • Washington

Phase 4: November 18, 2024 – November 23, 2024

Counties Included:

  • Appling
  • Candler
  • Emanuel
  • Jeff Davis
  • Johnson
  • Laurens
  • Montgomery
  • Tattnall
  • Telfair
  • Toombs
  • Treutlen
  • Wayne
  • Wheeler

How to Apply for D-SNAP Assistance

To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must reside or work in one of the disaster-affected areas, have experienced disaster-related damages, and meet specific eligibility criteria. Eligible households will receive food assistance equivalent to the maximum monthly SNAP amount based on household size. This assistance can be utilized to purchase food at authorized SNAP retailers, and in some cases, even at online retailers.

Existing SNAP Households

It is important to note that households already receiving SNAP benefits are not eligible for D-SNAP. However, the USDA has approved additional SNAP benefits for households currently enrolled in SNAP and living in the hurricane-affected areas of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This measure ensures these households receive the maximum benefit amount for their family size if they are not already doing so.

If you live in one of the affected counties and are already receiving SNAP, no additional action is required on your part to access these supplemental benefits. State SNAP authorities will automatically issue the extra payments.

Assistance for Other Affected Counties

Households in counties not included in the D-SNAP phases but still impacted by Hurricane Helene may apply for supplemental benefits through the state SNAP agency. This option ensures that all affected families have access to necessary food assistance during this recovery period.

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