DSNAP FAQs

The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) provides eligible low- to moderate-income households who do not currently receive SNAP benefits with help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.

If you have a question about your case, call the LAHelp-U Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 or 206-792-7538.

The LAHelp-U Customer Service Center uses Language Line translation services and will assist all residents through the application process. For more information about how to apply, see below under "Application."

No. DSNAP applicants must report food loss. If you are a current SNAP recipient and lost food due to a power outage of 24+ straight hours, you may be eligible for Replacement SNAP benefits.

Eligibility for DSNAP benefits is determined by looking at the applicant’s take-home pay (earned and unearned) in the designated 30-day time-period, adding all available cash resources (including checking and savings balances), and deducting the total dollar amount of money spent on any disaster-related expense - that has not already been reimbursed - during the designated 30-day period.

Earned income is the net wages a household actually receives after taxes and all other payroll withholding. Payroll withholding includes any deductions from wages, such as insurance premiums, retirement contributions, garnishments, automatic payments to creditors, etc. Money received on payroll deposit debit cards is considered earned income.

Examples of unearned income include but are not limited to Child Support, alimony, unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, SSI benefits, VA benefits, FITAP benefits, worker’s compensation, pensions, contributions from friends or family, etc.

Examples of disaster-related expenses can include home or business repairs, temporary shelter expenses, evacuation expenses, home or business property protection, medical expenses due to disaster-related personal injury, including funeral expenses, disaster-related pet boarding fees, expenses related to replacing necessary personal and household items such as clothing, appliance, tools, and educational material, fuel for primary heating source, clean-up items expense, disaster-damaged vehicle expenses, and storage and moving expenses paid during 30-day time period. Recurring expenses, such as a mortgage, rent, or car note, do not count as disaster-related expenses.

Households not normally eligible for SNAP may qualify for DSNAP because of their disaster-related expenses, property damage, and in some cases, loss of food due to power outages. Please note: Loss of income is also considered a disaster-relarted expense.

SNAP recipients are not typically eligible for DSNAP and should not apply. In the event of a disaster, if SNAP recipients are eligible for additional benefits, those benefits will be handled through a separate process.

When calling to apply for DSNAP, please be prepared to provide the following during your application interview:

• A driver’s license or state-issued ID to verify your identity and residency (NOTE:  Before calling to apply for DSNAP, please download the LA Wallet mobile app at LAWallet.com)
• Other acceptable forms of ID include a work or school ID, ID for health benefits or another social services program, voter’s registration card, paycheck stub, or birth certificate, US passport card, birth certificate, Matricula Consular ID card and US military discharge papers. If identity is not verified electronically through LA Wallet or OMW, applicants will need to provide a copy of identification.
  • If documents are needed, an email will be sent using a secure encrypted email account to request the documents allowing 7 days for return. If email is not available, a written request will be sent allowing 7 days to return the documents either by mail or it can be dropped off at a local parish office.
• Name, date of birth, and Social Security Number (if applicable) for each household member, and driver’s license or state-issued ID number (if applicable) for the head of household
• Verification of monthly income for each household member between September 9 – October 8. (e.g., check stubs, income related to Child Support, alimony, unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, SSI benefits, VA benefits, FITAP benefits, worker’s compensation, pensions, contributions from friends and/or family)
• Residential address and mailing address (if mailing address is different)
• Verification of household resources as of September 9 (e.g., cash in hand, checking or savings statements)
• Amount of disaster-related expenses you incurred during the disaster period -September 9 - October 8. These include but are not limited to:
  • home or business repairs,
  • temporary shelter expenses
  • evacuation expenses
  • home or business property protection
  • medical expenses due to disaster-related personal injury
  • including funeral expenses
  • disaster-related pet boarding fees
  • expenses related to replacing necessary personal and household items such as clothing, appliance, tools, and educational material
  • fuel for primary heating source
  • clean-up items expense
  • disaster-damaged vehicle expenses
  • and storage and moving expenses

Applicants may name an Authorized Representative (AR) to apply for DSNAP benefits on their behalf. The head of household must authorize the person to serve as AR on their behalf, and the worker will need to speak to the head of household to confirm that they agree for the AR to speak on their behalf.

Clients have 90 days from the date of DCFS's decision on a DSNAP case to appeal the department's decision. The decision letter you receive from DCFS will include instructions for filing an appeal. You will need to complete and sign the section below "Fair Hearing Information" and return it to the address indicated in the letter.

No, you will be issued a new DSNAP card. Benefits will not be loaded to a previous DSNAP card even if there are funds still available on that card.

Call the LAHelp-U Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 to report your card lost and request a new one.

DSNAP benefits will be loaded onto an EBT card and mailed to the applicant from DCFS' EBT contractor. Please note that your EBT card will be sent separately from your benefits approval letter.

All DSNAP benefits cards will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service to the applicant from the EBT card contractor. (Please note that the card will be sent separately from the benefits approval letter.)

Cards are being shipped from the EBT card contractor and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, which can take up to two weeks (7-10 business days) for delivery.

NOTE: The DSNAP EBT card will be sent separately from your benefits approval letter.

If you don't receive your card in your expected timeframe, please contact our LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 or LAHelpU.DCFS@la.gov.

You can call LAHelpU from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., M-F, except on holidays. To speak with a customer service representative, select your language, press 6 followed by 1. Tip: Call volumes are lightest in the first and last hours of the day.

If you send an email, provide your name as it appears in our records, your contact information, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number. You should also include a brief description of your situation and reason for writing, as well as a descriptive subject line. Our staff will respond as quickly as possible, but they receive a great volume of requests. Please allow at least three or four business days for a response.

This could happen for a couple of reasons:

(1) You must activate the card after you receive it for the balance to become available to you. The automated system will not tell you the balance on your card until the card has been activated. For information on how to activate your card, read “How do I activate my EBT card for DSNAP?” below.

(2) If you have an EBT card for another program (such as P-EBT, or a card from an old or denied SNAP case), when you call the EBT Customer Service Center to activate your DSNAP EBT card, you must make sure you enter the 16-digit card number from the DSNAP card. If you enter only your personal information (SSN, DOB, ZIP), the system may pull up your P-EBT or old SNAP account instead of your DSNAP account. For more information on how to activate your card, read “How do I activate my EBT card for DSNAP?” below.

If neither of these reasons applies, please call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 to speak with someone about your case.

To activate your DSNAP EBT card, call the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117, enter your 16-digit card number, and then listen for the option to select or reset your PIN. To set your PIN, you will need the last four digits of the Social Security number, date of birth and zip code for the mailing address of the Head of Household.

If the Head of Household did not provide a Social Security number during the DSNAP application process, the cardholder will need to call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 to get the number needed to set the PIN and activate the DSNAP EBT card.

NOTE: If you have an EBT card for another program (such as P-EBT, or a card from an old or denied SNAP case), you must first enter the 16-digit card number from your DSNAP EBT card before setting your PIN. Otherwise, the system may pull up your P-EBT or old SNAP account instead of your DSNAP account.

PIN Options: Please note that PINs selected with any of the below patterns are not allowed: • Identical digits (1111, 2222, 3333, etc.) • Consecutive digits (1234, 2345, 3456, etc.) • Numbers that start with one or more zeroes (0657, 0051, 0001, etc.) • The last four digits of the cardholder’s Social Security number • The cardholder’s birthdate