SNAP recipients in 18 parishes impacted by Hurricane Ida will receive automatic additional benefits due to power outages that affected at least half the residents in the parish. Assistant Secretary for the Division of Family Support at Department of Children and Family Services, Shavana Howard said the USDA approved the waiver.
“Approximately 413,000 SNAP clients will receive an additional replacement benefit at a rate of 55% of whatever their monthly benefit was for the month of August,” said Howard.
Howards said the benefit should be available on their SNAP card by September 11th. Those living in the affected parishes won’t have to do anything.
“That did lose power for 24 or more consecutive hours, there is a form that they can complete on our website at DCFS.la.gov/SNAPstorms,” said Howard.
Howard said DCFS recognizes that the storm did extensive damage and was responsible for widespread power outages.
“And a lot of power outages to a lot of families who are on SNAP benefits, so they hope is to help them get some of that food back so they can take care of themselves and their families,” said Howard.
SNAP clients may need to provide documentation from their utility providers verifying the power outage.
The eighteen parishes include Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.
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