When officials declare a disaster to be a federal emergency, states can request to operate the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in the disaster area. Once approved at the federal level, this program gives one month of food assistance to individuals and families who were affected by the disaster. They must also meet certain criteria. You may not qualify for SNAP outside of a disaster, but certain circumstances can make you eligible for D-SNAP because of substantial disaster-related expenses such as:
- Home or business repairs
- Temporary shelter expenses
- Evacuation or relocation expenses
- Personal injury
- Loss of income because of the disaster
- Certain scenarios where you have food loss after flooding or power outages
If you receive D-SNAP benefits, you will get an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. You can use it just like a debit card at local, authorized stores to buy certain food. Often, state agencies and organizations will tell you about D-SNAP through the press and local media outlets after a disaster. If you already receive SNAP benefits, you can also ask for more benefits through the D-SNAP program. If you receive benefits less than the monthly maximum or you can show you suffered losses during the disaster, you might qualify.
For more information, contact your local SNAP office location. To find your local SNAP office, visit: https://kynect.ky.gov/benefits/s/find-dcbs-office?language=en_US.