The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of food assistance for individuals in Kentucky affected by recent severe weather events. This assistance is provided through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 12,600 households across 14 counties are estimated to qualify for this support.
D-SNAP allows people who might not typically qualify for SNAP benefits to receive aid if they meet certain criteria, including disaster-related income limits and expenses. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins stated, "USDA is dedicated to helping individuals and families in Kentucky as they grapple with the aftermath of recent storms and flooding."
Applications for D-SNAP will be accepted both virtually and in-person from March 5 through March 7, 2025, in counties including Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Simpson. The state will provide further information on application procedures through local media channels.
To qualify for D-SNAP benefits, a household must reside or work in a designated disaster area and meet specific eligibility requirements. Eligible households will receive one month’s worth of benefits equivalent to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size. These benefits can be used at authorized retailers or select online stores.
In addition to D-SNAP approval, USDA has granted waivers allowing SNAP participants in 22 counties to purchase hot foods with their benefits until March 27. They have also waived the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits lost due to power outages.
Although current SNAP recipients are not eligible for D-SNAP itself, those living in the approved counties will automatically receive supplemental SNAP benefits up to the maximum allotment for their household size if they do not already receive that amount.
USDA staff are collaborating with Kentucky officials and partners to expedite resources and support recovery efforts following these disasters. The department has previously issued flexibilities across its programs and continues seeking ways to provide critical resources swiftly.
