Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee will receive additional food stamps following the storm’s devastation
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an expansion of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) for residents of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, who were affected by the devastating Hurricane Helene, which caused over 200 deaths and widespread destruction at the end of September.
This program provides temporary food assistance to individuals who, due to the disaster, are facing economic hardships, even though they typically would not qualify for regular SNAP benefits. The goal is to provide support to families dealing with food insecurity caused by the storm, easing some of the economic burden they face.
Implementation dates and eligible states
The implementation of D-SNAP will occur in specific phases for each affected state and region, giving residents the opportunity to submit their applications within the corresponding deadlines. Below are the dates and eligible counties in each state:
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Georgia
An estimated 982,930 households will be eligible to receive food assistance. Application dates are organized into four phases:
- Phase 1 (October 21 to 26, 2024): Counties of Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, and Long.
- Phase 2 (October 29 to November 4, 2024): Counties of Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Glynn, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, and Ware.
- Phase 3 (November 7 to 14, 2024): Counties of Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, and Washington.
- Phase 4 (November 18 to 23, 2024): Counties of Appling, Candler, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, and Wheeler.
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North Carolina
Approximately 152,572 households in this state will be able to apply between October 18 and 24, 2024. The eligible counties include: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
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Tennessee
In Tennessee, it is expected that 54,692 households will be able to receive D-SNAP assistance. The application period is scheduled between October 21 and 25, 2024 in the counties of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington.
How to apply for D-SNAP benefits
Applicants interested in receiving D-SNAP benefits must meet the following requirements:
- Have experienced significant economic losses or expenses directly caused by the hurricane, such as housing damage, loss of income, or evacuation-related costs.
- Not currently receiving regular SNAP benefits.
To submit their application, residents can visit the designated assistance centers in each county, which will be open during the specified dates. Interested individuals are encouraged to bring documentation supporting their situation, such as proof of identity, residence, and disaster-related costs.