The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that people who lived in some parts of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee that were hit by Hurricane Helene may be able to get food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). People who are having trouble paying for food because of an emergency can get temporary help from this service.
D-SNAP lets people who might not usually be eligible for help through the regular SNAP program get it if they meet certain requirements, such as having a limited income because of the disaster and having costs related to the disaster.
Who can benefit from D-SNAP in Georgia?
It is thought that about 982,930 people in Georgia might be able to get this help, which is meant to help families getting food meet their basic needs. The program will be put into place over a few weeks in four stages. Here are the dates and the counties that go with them:
Phase 1: October 21, 2024 – October 26, 2024
Counties included:
- Bryan
- Bulloch
- Chatham
- Effingham
- Evans
- Liberty
- Long
Phase 2: October 29, 2024 – November 4, 2024
Counties included:
- Atkinson
- Bacon
- Ben Hill
- Berrien
- Brantley
- Brooks
- Camden
- Charlton
- Clinch
- Coffee
- Colquitt
- Cook
- Echols
- Glynn
- Irwin
- Lanier
- Lowndes
- Pierce
- Tift
- Ware
Phase 3: November 7, 2024 – November 14, 2024
Counties included:
- Burke
- Columbia
- Glascock
- Jefferson
- Jenkins
- Lincoln
- McDuffie
- Richmond
- Screven
- Washington
Phase 4: November 18, 2024 – November 23, 2024
Counties included:
- Appling
- Candler
- Emanuel
- Jeff Davis
- Johnson
- Laurens
- Montgomery
- Tattnall
- Telfair
- Toombs
- Treutlen
- Wayne
- Wheeler
How to apply for D-SNAP assistance?
To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must live or work in a disaster-affected place, have had damage from the disaster, and meet other requirements. Households that are eligible will get food aid equal to the maximum monthly SNAP amount based on the size of the household. This money can be used to buy food at stores that are approved by SNAP, and sometimes it can even be used to buy food online.
Applicants should note that D-SNAP is a temporary emergency measure and is only available to those who meet the requirements in designated disaster areas.
What about households already receiving SNAP?
It is important to note that families that already get SNAP benefits cannot get D-SNAP. But the USDA has allowed more SNAP benefits for families in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee who are already on SNAP and live in areas that were hit by hurricanes. This measure makes sure that these families get the most benefit possible for their size of family, if they aren’t already getting it.
You don’t have to do anything else to get these extra benefits if you live in one of the counties that is touched and are already getting SNAP. The extra payments will be sent immediately by the state SNAP authorities.
Additional benefits for other affected counties
People who live in other counties that aren’t part of the D-SNAP phases but were affected by Hurricane Helene can still apply for extra benefits through the state SNAP office. This choice makes sure that all injured families can get the food aid they need while they are recovering.
Read Also :- Social Security’s cost-of-living increase may fall short for some retirees
