By Jamie Martin
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded its Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to assist families in Florida and Georgia affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Around 407,733 households across 24 counties in Florida are eligible for food assistance through this program. USDA is working closely with the state governments to provide food support to families recovering from the disaster.
The D-SNAP program allows people who normally don’t qualify for SNAP to receive temporary food assistance if they meet disaster-related criteria. These criteria include disaster income limits and costs incurred due to the hurricane.
In addition to Florida, five additional counties in Georgia—Dodge, McIntosh, Taliaferro, Thomas, and Warren—are now eligible for D-SNAP, bringing the total to 112 counties across Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
The program will roll out in phases, with different application windows for specific counties in Florida. This includes options for phone applications and on-site assistance in designated areas. The USDA is committed to ensuring that all impacted residents receive the necessary support for food during the recovery process.
Alongside food assistance, the USDA has approved hot food purchases for SNAP recipients and provided waivers for various nutrition programs across affected regions. This includes adjustments to the National School Lunch Program and other child nutrition services to ensure continuous support.
USDA’s D-SNAP is just one part of a broader effort to aid communities after the hurricanes. The department is working with farmers and agricultural producers, providing crop insurance relief and purchasing fresh citrus for distribution to food banks.
Families in need can visit Florida’s Division of Emergency Management or Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services for more details on the D-SNAP program.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: National