D-SNAP Benefits for 2024: Eligibility and Assistance After Natural Disasters

Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and wildfires can wipe out entire towns, leaving many in the wake to try and obtain their very basic needs. The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture responds with crucial support through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP.

This initiative helps to ensure that vulnerable groups have a source of livelihood in dire moments through food aid for the victims of disasters.

D-SNAP stands for?

Especially designed to help households affected by natural disasters, D-SNAP or Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is an extension of regular SNAP benefits.

This program issues food assistance on a temporary basis to eligible families and individuals who have suffered disaster-related loss of income or expenses.
Available in areas declared disaster areas by the federal government, D-SNAP benefits allow for rapid assistance to those personal needs..

Current Areas for D-SNAP Support

Currently, FNS is providing D-SNAP benefits in California, Iowa, New Mexico, New York, Texas, and Vermont as of 2024.

These locations have been more than a little devastated with natural disasters lately, thus requiring food assistance right away.

D-SNAP Allotments and Payment Values

Benefits are sized according to household size to ensure adequate assistance is provided to families. The maximum allotments for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia are as follows:

Household Size	Maximum Allotment (USD)
1	291
2	535
3	766
4	973
5	1,155
6	1,386
7	1,532
8	1,751

These allotments provide critically needed relief by enabling homes to buy groceries and other food during the recovery time period.

D-SNAP Eligibility Criteria

There are certain criteria that households must meet in order to qualify for D-SNAP benefits, including the following:

• The applicant must have lived or worked in the area declared as affected by the disaster.
  
• Households must have directly incurred disaster-related expenses, such as: Food loss because of the power outage, Temporary shelter, House or business repairs, Charges on evacuation
  
• Income and resource limitations: Household income and resources are accounted for to determine eligibility during the disaster period. With these extraordinary charges in mind, a family may be eligible for the Disaster Standard Expense Deduction.

Importantly, if households meet the disaster-specific criteria, even those who are otherwise ineligible for regular SNAP benefits may qualify for D-SNAP.

Application Method

State-specific D-SNAP application policies vary and usually provide access only for a very short time following a disaster. In New Mexico, D-SNAP applications will be accepted from August 12 to August 19, 2024, in the affected areas of Rio Arriba and San Juan counties.

The candidates need to show proof of residency and identity and also records of the expense incurred due to disasters.
Candidates need to contact the local office or log into the state’s official website regarding detailed information about the application process. To accelerate the time frame of the application process for its processing and hence to provide timely help, FNS also coordinates with state agencies, tribal organizations, and volunteer groups.

Providing timely food assistance, D-SNAP gives a glimmer of hope to those families who strive to get back to their normal life in the face of natural disasters.
Check eligibility for and apply to D-SNAP to find necessary relief in trying times if a recent disaster has touched you or someone else that is close.