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DCFS Approves 21,281 Households at DSNAP Sites Monday

September 11, 2012

09.11.12 - More than 21,280 households were approved for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) benefits on Monday, totaling more than $8.8 million.

Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier said that in six days, 107,240 households have been approved, totaling $44.9 million in DSNAP benefits.

DSNAP totals by parish for the six days are:

Parish	DSNAP Cards	DSNAP Total
Ascension	4,691	$2,175,333
Jefferson	34,447	$15,401,223
Lafourche	7,045	$3,083,047
Livingston	5,636	$2,666,070
Orleans	31,532	$11,088,118
Plaquemines	1,780	$802,027
St. Bernard	3,265	$1,409,681
St. Charles	1,098	$488,073
St. James	351	$135,990
St. John	4,792	$2,102,215
St. Tammany	9,305	$4,313,124
Tangipahoa	2,560	$989,489
Terrebonne	738	$322,158

DSNAP is an income eligibility based program to assist eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster. Eligibility is determined by federal guidelines based on an individual's known or expected income, resources (such as cash on hand, saving and checking account balances) and unreimbursed disaster expenses during the disaster period of August 26 and September 24. For more information on income guidelines, visit www.dcfs.la.gov or call 211.

Applicants who knowingly provide inaccurate or incomplete information as part of a DSNAP application could face criminal prosecution and disqualification of benefits. DCFS will investigate suspected fraud and aggressively pursue recoupment and possibly prosecution.

DSNAP is administered in Louisiana by DCFS and overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Read more about recipients' rights.

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