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BATON ROUGE, LA - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received federal approval on September 20, 2024, for multiple forms of disaster food assistance for Hurricane Francine-affected families. USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) authorized Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) operations in 8 parishes, automatic SNAP replacement benefits for 4 parishes, and automatic SNAP supplements for 6 parishes.
Non-SNAP Households: What You Need to Know
Current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP.
DCFS received approval to begin DSNAP operations in the following parishes that were declared eligible for Individual Assistance (IA): Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Mary and Terrebonne.
DSNAP interviews will start on Wednesday, September 25. According to FNS guidelines, DSNAP operations cannot begin until all other federal disaster food assistance programs in a parish have ended (including PODs and Disaster Household Distribution) and essential services such as power, telephone/internet, mail and grocery stores are fully operational.
For DSNAP Applicants:
Residents in the 8 approved parishes should call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-LAHELPU (1-888-524-3578) to apply for DSNAP on their designated day (by first letter of last name; see schedule below) or during one of the A-Z days, which are open to all residents in the approved parishes. Application hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. After selecting your language, press 6 followed by 1.
Vulnerable groups, including the elderly and disabled, who are unable to apply by phone can apply in person at selected DCFS offices or community-based organizations within the affected parishes.
Translation services are available throughout the application process. A worker will verify your identity, residency and disaster-related expenses from September 9, 2024, to October 8, 2024. Most applicants will learn their approval status and benefit amount immediately, followed by a confirmation letter sent by mail.
Applicants can designate an Authorized Representative to apply on their behalf, but this requires approval from the head of the household, who will be contacted to confirm the authorization.
Approved applicants will receive an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card by mail.
Application Schedule for 8 Approved Parishes:
Residents of the 8 approved parishes should apply for DSNAP by phone on their assigned day by last name.
- Day 1 (Wednesday, Sept. 25) –A-G
- Day 2 (Thursday, Sept. 26) – H-M
- Day 3 (Friday, Sept. 27) – N-Z
- Day 4 (Monday, Sept. 30) – Open to all
- Day 5 (Tuesday, Oct. 1) – Open to all
In-Person Option for Vulnerable Groups:
Vulnerable groups, including the elderly and disabled, who are unable to apply by phone can apply in person at the following DCFS offices or community-based organizations:
Ascension Parish:
DCFS Ascension Economic Stability office
1078 E Worthy St., Gonzales, LA 70737
8:00a - 4:30p, M-F
Assumption Parish:
Bella Rose Branch Library
7089 Hwy 1, Belle Rose, LA 70341
9:00a - 4:00p, M-F
Lafourche Parish:
DCFS Lafourche Child Welfare office
1416 Tiger Dr., Thibodaux, LA 70301
8:00a - 4:30p, M-F
St. Charles Parish:
Alan Arterbury Building
14564 River Road, New Sarpy, LA 70078
8:30a - 4:00p, M-F
St. James Parish:
Vacherie Branch Library
2593 Highway 20, Vacherie, LA 70090
8:00a - 4:00p, M-F
St. John Parish:
Let's Work! River Parishes - LaPlace Office
1708 Chantilly Dr. Suite A, Laplace, LA 70068
8:30a - 4:00p, M-F
St. Mary Parish:
DCFS St. Mary Child Welfare office
604 2nd St., Franklin, LA 70538
8a - 4:30p, M-F
Terrebonne Parish:
DCFS Terrebonne Economic Stability office
1012 W Tunnel Blvd., Houma, LA 70826
8a - 4:30p, M-F
DSNAP provides food assistance to eligible households that are not enrolled in SNAP and need assistance purchasing groceries due to disaster-related income loss or damages.
This means-tested program can only be activated when the state requests it after the President has authorized the Stafford Act and individual assistance (IA) has been approved for impacted parishes. Each parish with IA approval must separately request DSNAP, and FNS must approve the DSNAP operation before benefits are issued.
Current SNAP Recipients: What You Need to Know
There are two types of assistance for SNAP recipients in certain affected parishes: replacements and supplements.
SNAP Replacements
SNAP recipients in Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne will automatically receive replacement of 40 percent of their September benefits if they were issued on or before the September 11 landfall. These are the parishes where more than 50 percent of residents lost power for more than 24 hours, as verified with the Public Service Commission. Replacement benefits will be issued to recipients’ EBT cards by Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
Recipients in other parishes who lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to power outages of at least 24 hours or other impacts from Hurricane Francine may apply for replacements. Deadline and application information is listed below.
How to Qualify for SNAP Replacements?
To qualify for replacement benefits, SNAP households who do not receive automatic replacements must show that they experienced food losses due to power outages of at least 24 hours or other impacts from Hurricane Francine. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is working with the Public Service Commission to verify outages. If DCFS cannot confirm a household's power outage, recipients may need to provide documentation from their utility company. This can take time, so residents are advised to request their verification documents as soon as possible.
If approved, eligible households will receive replacement benefits equal to the value of the food lost, up to the amount of one month’s SNAP benefits. These benefits will be added directly to the household's EBT card.
For SNAP Recipients in the Four Parishes
Recipients in Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes will automatically receive 40 percent of their September benefits if they were issued on or before the September 11 landfall. Replacement benefits will be issued to recipients’ EBT cards by Wednesday, September 25, 2024. automatically, without having to apply. However, if recipients in these four parishes lost more food than the automatic benefit replacement covers, they can still submit a SNAP 38 form to claim additional benefits. The deadline for submitting this form is Monday, September 30, 2024.
For SNAP Recipients in 16 Additional Parishes
SNAP recipients in 16 other parishes affected by Hurricane Francine also have until Monday, September 30, 2024 to submit a SNAP 38 form to request replacement benefits. These parishes are Ascension, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington
For SNAP Recipients Outside of the 20 Parishes
SNAP households in parishes that are not included in the 20 parishes listed above can still request replacement benefits if they lost power for 24 hours or more. The deadline to submit a SNAP 38 form in these parishes is Monday, September 23, 2024. SNAP recipients may be asked to provide proof of their power loss.
How to Apply for SNAP Replacements
- Online: Complete and submit a SNAP 38 form online at https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/form/snap-38-online.
- Upload: Scan and upload a completed SNAP 38 form via the CAFÉ system.
- Mail or Fax: Send a completed SNAP 38 form to the DCFS Document Processing Center, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or fax it to 225-663-3164.
- In-Person: If you are unable to submit the form electronically or by mail, deliver it to your nearest DCFS Economic Stability office. Find office locations at www.dcfs.la.gov/offices
What If You Cannot Submit the Form by the Deadline?
Call 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) before the deadline for your parish (September 30 for the 20 listed parishes, or September 23 for all other parishes) to report your food loss, and provide your parish, the dollar value of the lost food, and how long you were without power. You will still need to submit your signed SNAP 38 form within 10 days of reporting the loss.
In keeping with federal regulations, DCFS cannot process a SNAP replacement request until we have received a completed and signed SNAP 38 Form.
SNAP Supplements
SNAP households in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes who are not already receiving the maximum monthly benefit amount will automatically receive supplemental benefits to bring their households to the maximum for one month. Hurricane-affected households in St. Charles and St. James parishes may apply for supplemental benefits to bring their households to the maximum for one month.
How to Apply for SNAP Supplements
SNAP recipients in St. James and St. Charles parishes must apply:
- Online: Complete and submit a DIS-14 form online at https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/form/statement-of-disaster-loss.
- Upload: Scan and upload a completed Statement of Disaster Loss via the CAFÉ system.
- Mail or Fax: Send a completed Statement of Disaster Loss to the DCFS Document Processing Center, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or fax it to 225-663-3164.
- In-Person: If you are unable to submit the form electronically or by mail, deliver it to your nearest DCFS Economic Stability office. Find office locations at www.dcfs.la.gov/offices
As part of disaster relief efforts, supplemental SNAP benefits ensure that affected households currently receiving SNAP receive the maximum allotment for their household size. These benefits ensure DSNAP households and regular SNAP recipients, who cannot get DSNAP, receive the same level of support. SNAP recipients in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes will receive supplemental benefits automatically and have the benefits loaded directly to their SNAP card. SNAP recipients in St. James and St. Charles parishes must apply using Statement of Disaster Loss (online or download) to receive supplemental benefits.
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SNAP Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at:
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:
Mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or
Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
Email:
FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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