The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that individuals in Virginia affected by Tropical Storm Helene may qualify for food assistance through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). An estimated 22,858 households across nine counties could benefit from this program to help manage grocery expenses.
D-SNAP allows people who are typically not eligible for SNAP benefits to receive aid if they meet certain criteria, including disaster income limits and specific disaster-related expenses. The USDA recently extended D-SNAP eligibility to residents in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This latest announcement expands the program's reach to 153 counties and two Tribes impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
"USDA is committed to making sure that families, farmers and communities impacted by recent hurricanes get the support they need," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The Biden-Harris Administration, including USDA, will do everything in our power to help you respond, recover and rebuild – no matter how long it takes."
Virginia will conduct its D-SNAP application period from November 18 through November 22, 2024. The eligible areas include Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe counties. Further details on application dates and locations will be shared via local media.
To qualify for D-SNAP benefits, a household must reside in a designated disaster area and meet specific eligibility criteria related to the disaster. Eligible households will receive one month of benefits equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size. These benefits can be used at authorized stores or select online retailers.
Today's D-SNAP announcement follows other USDA actions aiding Virginia residents post-Tropical Storm Helene:
- A waiver allowing SNAP participants in affected areas to purchase hot foods with their benefits until December 10.
- Waivers for the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits lost due to power outages.
While current SNAP households cannot receive D-SNAP benefits directly, Virginia has been approved to issue supplemental SNAP benefits automatically to existing recipients in eight counties if they do not already receive the maximum allotment for their household size.
USDA staff are collaborating with state officials and partners to deliver rapid support across affected regions. Hundreds of responders have been deployed alongside FEMA teams to facilitate recovery efforts. The USDA continues exploring additional flexibilities within its programs to expedite aid distribution.
For more information on how USDA is responding to Hurricanes Helene and Milton or about its Food and Nutrition Service programs aimed at improving nutrition security nationwide visit www.fns.usda.gov.
