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7 Surprising Facts about D-SNAP You Need to Know

7 Surprising Facts about D-SNAP You Need to Know

Have you heard of D-SNAP? Disaster SNAP helps low income people replace food that is lost or damaged by a natural disaster. There are 7 things you need to know about this program. 

Disaster SNAP is very different from normal SNAP. 

For those who don’t already know, SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the formal name for food stamps. Standard SNAP is available all the time to low income people who qualify. 

On the other hand, Disaster SNAP is only authorized in certain areas and for specific emergencies. The President must declare Individual Assistance for the disaster area and the state must request FNS approval in order to start issuing Disaster SNAP benefits. 

Disaster SNAP benefits are issued on EBT cards. 

Just like regular SNAP, Disaster SNAP benefits are issued on EBT cards. These cards work just like debit cards and can be used to buy eligible food at most local grocery stores. 

Disaster SNAP has different eligibility requirements. 

If you live in an area where Disaster SNAP has been approved, then you may be eligible for those benefits if you have experienced a qualifying disaster-related expense. Qualifying expenses include: home or business repairs, temporary shelter expenses, evacuation or relocation expenses, home or business protection, disaster-related personal injury, funeral expenses, lost income, delayed receipt of income, or food loss as a result of the disaster. 

You may be eligible for Disaster SNAP even if you already get regular SNAP. 

People who currently receive food stamps may be able to get a temporary increase through Disaster SNAP if they are eligible. In order to be eligible, you must currently receive less than the monthly maximum AND have losses from the disaster. The D-SNAP increases will supplement your benefits and bring you up to the maximum amount for your household size temporarily. This way SNAP households receive the same amount as D-SNAP households during the disaster period. 

You may be able to get replacement SNAP benefits. 

If you were already receiving food stamps, you may be able to get replacement benefits for any food that was lost during the disaster. For example, if you had recently shopped with food stamps but floodwaters ruined your food, then you may be able to get replacement benefits for the food that was ruined. You will need to contact your local food stamps office for help. 

You can sometimes apply before the disaster is approved. 

In the wake of Hurricane Ida, Louisiana encouraged residents to apply for Disaster SNAP before the benefits were authorized. This early application was intended to help expedite the process when the benefits were approved. Always follow your state agencies for guidance so that you can apply as soon as possible. 

Sometimes the rules change during disasters. 

Along with the pre-registering process, Louisiana also suspended certain rules related to food stamps purchases. For example, they are authorizing the purchase of hot, ready-to-eat foods after the disaster since many affected households cannot use their kitchens to prepare food. 

These rule changes are done on a case-by-case basis, so it’s important to follow your local state agencies for guidance. 

Nicole is the owner and lead researcher for Low Income Relief. She has over 20 years of professional research and writing experience, and she has been solely dedicated to investigating low income topics for the last 10 years. Nicole started Low Income Relief after a personal experience with poverty. When her husband was medically discharged from the US Army, their family experienced tremendous financial hardship. Nicole was able to gather help from multiple community agencies and move into a nearby low income housing unit in just two weeks! Since then, Nicole has been dedicated to helping low income families in crisis. She regularly spends hundreds of hours combing through countless resources to make sure that Low Income Relief has the most comprehensive and complete resource directories on the internet today. Prior to starting Low Income Relief, Nicole worked as a novelist, journalist, ghostwriter and content creator. Her work has been featured in various print and online publications, including USA Today, The Daily Herald, The Chronicle and more. Her work has also been featured by Google for Publishers and other leading industry publications.

Sheridan Marie Fisher

Saturday 11th of December 2021

Iam 75 and my husband 57, we are both disabled, on society security. A very fixed income never enough for a healthy diet. I have applied for food stamps and still have not heard anything from them. Can you help

Isaac

Monday 13th of December 2021

Information on this should be in the article above. Chat with Lira, she might be able to help! https://lowincomerelief.com/chat/

Twila Martin

Tuesday 16th of November 2021

On Aug4,2019 I was involved in a very bad car wreck that almost killed me. The driver of my vehicle just left me over a ravine pinned in my vehicle for over 4 hours until 2 young hunters found me. Bc of my injuries I could not stand. (Also bc if the damage done to my vehicle. ) 1 month before my wreck I couldn't afford to pay both rent and car insurance so, on the day that I got in my wreck I wasn't insured.

I was in the hospital for several weeks. I had broken my nose, had a bad concussion, 6 broken ribs, my sacrum was completely crushed, 2 places on my talebone broken, ankle broke and my arm was broken. I can never work as a nurse again. I filed for disability. I haven't heard anything from them yet regarding my claim. My Honda odyssey van was a total loss. I have 3 children and i recently got a divorce after being married for over 24 years. 2 weeks ago I found out that my disk that is between my jaw and skull bone is degenerating and now I'm forced to buy dental insurance and this disease that I have would require reconstructive surgery. I cannot afford this on my low income. I can barely afford to buy food. I get 262$ biweekly in alimony for only 2 more years then I won't have any income at all. Do you know of any organizations that could help me? I really could use some help. I'm limited to how far that I can even open my mouth because of this disc being gone. Please, if you know of anyone that could be of assistance I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you and God bless.

Isaac

Monday 13th of December 2021

I'm sorry to hear all of that, it sounds very stressful for you. Unfortunately Low Income Relief is an information service and does not provide cash or items directly. You will need to search our website for information about organizations that can help you meet those needs. Chat with Lira, she might be able to help! https://lowincomerelief.com/chat/ I hope this helps! Best wishes for you

Coral Patser

Saturday 13th of November 2021

I :-)Love your program and am great ful you even bother! So All Kudos, and really if someone does not like it, too bad they had the option to do something else. So haters are just wasters.? Anyway whatever works for you if you need to drop a show change it, do what you need to, to stay healthy lady. Thanks, Coral

Isaac

Thursday 9th of December 2021

Thanks for letting us know! I’m glad we were able to help.

james culmone

Saturday 13th of November 2021

just got the snap card thanks for the help

james culmone

Saturday 13th of November 2021

just received card thanks for the help