Disaster FAQs

disasterfaqs

emergencybenefits

Emergency Benefits
Will I receive emergency benefits?
A disaster can trigger issuance of a few different kinds of "emergency" SNAP benefits. Those are: Replacement SNAP - If you are a current SNAP recipient and lose food purchased with your SNAP benefits due to a power outage of at least 24 hours or some other household misfortune, you can apply for replacement SNAP benefits. Supplemental SNAP - If you are a current SNAP recipient not receiving the maximum monthly allotment, you may be eligible for supplemental SNAP benefits if a DSNAP is approved for your parish (see DSNAP info below); and Disaster SNAP, or DSNAP - If there is a federally declared disaster in which the President authorizes Individual Assistance for your parish, and the parish and state request DSNAP and are approved for DSNAP, you may apply for DSNAP benefits. Current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP and should not apply.

Will I receive emergency benefits?

A disaster can trigger issuance of a few different kinds of "emergency" SNAP benefits. Those are:

Replacement SNAP - If you are a current SNAP recipient and lose food purchased with your SNAP benefits due to a power outage of at least 24 hours or some other household misfortune, you can apply for replacement SNAP benefits.
Supplemental SNAP - If you are a current SNAP recipient not receiving the maximum monthly allotment, you may be eligible for supplemental SNAP benefits if a DSNAP is approved for your parish (see DSNAP info below); and
Disaster SNAP, or DSNAP - If there is a federally declared disaster in which the President authorizes Individual Assistance for your parish, and the parish and state request DSNAP and are approved for DSNAP, you may apply for DSNAP benefits. Current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP and should not apply.

SNAPsupplement

Supplemental SNAP
Will I receive additional SNAP benefits because of a disaster?
Regular SNAP households that reside in a disaster area may receive supplemental SNAP benefits if they did not receive the maximum SNAP allotment for their household size in the disaster month and a DSNAP is approved for the parish. (Find out more about DSNAP below.)
Are supplemental SNAP benefits issued automatically or on a case-by-case basis?
Depending on the disaster, these supplemental SNAP benefits may be issued manually on a case-by-case basis or through an automatic load of SNAP benefits on EBT cards. Automatic issuance is allowed only with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Regardless of which method is used, current SNAP recipients do not need to complete a DSNAP application or be interviewed for DSNAP benefits.
If FNS does not approve automatic issuance of supplemental SNAP benefits but I experienced an adverse effect from the disaster, what do I do?
If a disaster area is not approved for automatic issuance of supplemental SNAP benefits, a SNAP household that resided in a disaster area and experienced an adverse effect due to the disaster must report this during the DSNAP application period for their area by signing the Affidavit of Disaster Loss (DIS 14).

dsnap

DSNAP
Are DSNAP benefits available?
Impacted residents can apply for DSNAP benefits only after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approves Louisiana to operate DSNAP in a disaster area. For this to happen, the President must declare Individual Assistance (IA) for the disaster area, the state must request FNS approval to operate DSNAP, and the affected parish(es) must each receive IA from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be eligible to operate DSNAP in the parish. If DSNAP benefits are available, more information will be posted on the DSNAP webpage. In order to receive DSNAP benefits when they become available, households must register. The registration is simple and can be done online through the CAFÉ customer portal. Find out more on the DSNAP information page.
If I already receive SNAP benefits, do I need to apply for DSNAP?
No, current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP and do not need to complete a DSNAP application.

lostebt

Lost EBT
What do I do if I lost my SNAP EBT card?
Residents who lose their regular SNAP EBT should contact the EBT Call Center at 1-888-997-1117 to deactivate the lost card. To request a new card, contact the DCFS Customer Serice Center (888-524-3578; LAHelpU.dcfs@la.gov) or visit a parish office.
What do I do if I lost my DSNAP EBT card?
Residents who lose their DSNAP EBT card should contact the EBT Call Center at 1-888-997-1117 to deactivate the lost card. To request a new card, contact the DCFS Customer Serice Center (888-524-3578; LAHelpU.dcfs@la.gov) or visit a parish office.