SNAP participants in Louisiana are now able to purchase hot and prepared foods due to Hurricane Ida. DCFS Assistant Secretary of Family Support Shavana Howard said usually food stamps cannot be used for hot food products for immediate consumption.
“So with the waiver that we received from USDA you are now allowed to purchase hot or prepared foods, not to a restaurant of course, but at your local grocery or corner store,” said Howard.
Due to the displacement of many residents in the state because of Hurricane Ida, Howard said many are unable to prepare their own food now, so the waiver has been granted. This hot food waiver will expire on September 28th.
The same hot food waiver will apply to Disaster SNAP benefits and Howard expects D-SNAP benefits will be approved very soon for those impacted by Ida. She encourages people who live in the affected parishes to preregister.
“You can do that today at the dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP website and or text LA DSNAP to 898211 and we can provide DSANP updates as well,” said Howard.
If you are already a SNAP recipient and live in one of the 25 affect parishes, Howard said there’s no need to register for Disaster SNAP once it’s approved.
“For individuals who have been in the affected parishes where at least half of the residents lost power for 24-hours or more, if you are already on SNAP there’s no need for you to register for DSNAP benefits, we will automatically load those benefits,” said Howard.
The impacted parishes are Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West
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