The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) declared that Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits will soon be accessible to San Diegans affected by the late January atmospheric river storm and subsequent flooding.
In the aftermath of the severe storms and power outages in late January 2024, low-income California residents may qualify for the D-SNAP program, aimed at providing food assistance to households facing food loss or damage resulting from natural disasters.
Even households typically ineligible for SNAP may meet the criteria for D-SNAP if they satisfy specific conditions, such as the disaster income thresholds and demonstrating qualifying disaster-related expenses.
Residents of San Diego affected by the floods on January 22 are now able to seek assistance from FEMA.
How to Qualify for the D-SNAP Program?
To qualify for D-SNAP, individuals must reside or work within an identified disaster zone, have experienced adverse effects from the disaster, and satisfy specific D-SNAP eligibility criteria.
Qualified households will receive one month of benefits equivalent to the maximum monthly amount allocated to a SNAP household of their size.
Even individuals who do not typically meet the eligibility criteria for SNAP may qualify for D-SNAP if they have experienced any of the disaster-related expenses outlined below:
- Costs associated with home or business repairs.
- Expenses for temporary shelter.
- Evacuation or relocation costs.
- Personal injury resulting from the disaster, including funeral expenses.
- Loss or absence of income due to the disaster, which encompasses reduced, terminated, or delayed income receipt for a significant portion of the benefit period.
- Food loss in certain circumstances, such as after a disaster like flooding or power outages.
Residents residing in designated areas already receiving SNAP benefits are ineligible for D-SNAP.
However, they may request an increase in their benefits for one month if they do not currently receive the maximum monthly amount.
To qualify, individuals must meet the following criteria: their current benefits are below the monthly maximum, and they have incurred losses due to the disaster.
D-SNAP Application Dates
The D-SNAP application period will be open from March 7 to 8, and again from March 11 to 15.
President Joe Biden, on Presidents’ Day, authorized a disaster declaration for California residents impacted by the severe storms and flooding in late January.
Residents and business proprietors can request aid through DisasterAssistance.gov, by dialing 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by utilizing the FEMA App.
