Louisiana households that experienced financial losses from Tropical Storm Arthur can apply for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits through Friday.
Tim Jenkins, who oversees the SNAP program for the Louisiana Department of Health, says applicants must live in designated disaster areas of Avoyelles, St. Landry, St. Tammany or Terrebonne parishes. However, not everyone living in those parishes will qualify. Eligibility is based on ZIP code and whether a household was impacted by flooding in the designated disaster areas.
“This is one of our smaller disasters, this is probably the first time in 10 years that we’ve done a Zip code to a census block ratio,” Jenkins said.
General description of eligible areas
Avoyelles Parish
- ZIP code 71362
- Areas generally along LA 1 from Simmesport to Mansura, south of Marksville to the St. Landry Parish line, and west of Marksville to the Rapides Parish line
St. Landry Parish
- Areas generally north of U.S. 190, east of Bayou Teche, west of LA 359 to the Pointe Coupee Parish line, and north of Lebeau east of U.S. 71
Terrebonne Parish
- Portions of Gray, Schriever, Bayou Cane, eastern Houma, Bayou Blue, Bourg, Dulac, Theriot and Montegut
St. Tammany Parish
- ZIP codes 70452, 70458, 70460 and 70461
Applications are being accepted daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. by calling 1-888-524-3578. Jenkins says most applicants will learn during their interview whether they qualify for assistance.
“We look at your income and your resources and we remove your disaster related expenses and based on that calculation and a scale that is provided by the USDA FNA, we determine if you are eligible for assistance,” Jenkins said.
Wednesday’s application period is reserved for households with last names beginning with N through Z. On Thursday and Friday, anyone living in the eligible disaster areas may apply regardless of their last name.
Jenkins says D-SNAP is designed to help families recover from financial losses caused by the storm by providing temporary food assistance.
“It provides food benefits that you can spend, either on can or box food, but also right now while we have a waiver from the federal government, you can buy hot food, as long as the food is participating in that,” Jenkins said.
Current SNAP recipients are NOT eligible for D-SNAP benefits and should not apply.