Documents Needed To Apply For Emergency Food Stamps In Houston
This is a general guideline of documents needed to apply for expedited SNAP benefits. Contact any of these food stamp offices to verify the documents needed.
SNAP Application: Click HERE to download your copy
- ID: drivers license, school or work ID, medical insurance ID, voters registration card, birth certificate
- Proof of Address: library card showing address, voters registration card, utility bills, rent or mortgage receipts showing address
- Proof of Income: check stubs, employment statement, social security, supplemental security income or veterans benefits, alimony, unemployment, retirement or disability benefits
- Immigration Status: immigration/naturalization documents
- Expenses: rent or mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance on the property, child care costs, utilities
- Medical Expenses: summary of provided services such as a doctor or hospital visits, detailed receipts showing unreimbursed medical expenses, prescriptions bottles showing cost on label or printout, medical payment agreement
- Verify Resources: bank accounts, savings accounts, stock shares or bonds, proof of rental properties
How Do I Register
Visit the DSNAP pre-registration website here.
If you pre-registered or applied for DSNAP since March 2020, you do not need to pre-register again.
Residents affected by Hurricane Ida are encouraged to register for DSNAP. Registration does not guarantee benefits, but will make the application process easier and quicker for applicants if a DSNAP is approved for their community.
Pre-registration does not guarantee approval.
Northshore Sites To Help Flood Victims Apply For Emergency Food Stamps
- to copyLink copied!
- to copyLink copied!
BATON ROUGE, La.
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services will open locations Monday on the Northshore to help people apply for emergency food stamps.
Now called Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the department will open several sites across the state to help residents in 23 parishes affected by last week’s storms that left many areas flooded.
DSNAP benefits provide food assistance to eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages after a natural disaster.
Here’s where locations will open Monday on the Northshore:
- Livingston Parish: Amvets Post 68, 26890 Hwy 42, Springfield
- St. Tammany Parish: St. Tammany Sheriff Training Facility, 39395 Pine St., Pearl River
- Tangipahoa Parish: Eagle Heights Community Church, 47318 Rufus Bankston Rd., Tickfaw
- Washington Parish : American Legion Post 24, 63613 Lakeview Rd., Bogalusa and Hillcrest Baptist Church, 2201 Washington St., Franklinton
Officials said the locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Each site will help applicants on a staggered alphabetical schedule.
Applicants should visit the sites on the days designated based on their last name. Here’s a look at the schedule:
- Monday: A-D
Read Also: How To Apply For Food Stamps In Oklahoma Online
How To Apply For Food Stamps In Louisiana
When you are ready to apply for food stamps, you may do so online, by mail, via fax or in person. To apply for food stamps online, you must use Louisianas online benefit portal to complete the form. With this method, your application will be delivered immediately, which may allow it to be processed more quickly. If you wish to apply for SNAP using a paper form instead, obtain the appropriate form from a local SNAP office and then submit it in person, through the mail or by fax.
Once your Louisiana food stamp application is received, you will need to prepare for an interview, which is when a designated case worker will verify your eligibility. Overall, you can get ready by gathering documentation relating to your expenses, income, resources, employment and other relevant details.
In most cases, benefit interviews will be conducted over the phone after your application is submitted. However, some interviews are held in person instead. If this is the case, you will need to schedule an appointment with a local SNAP office.
After you apply for food stamps and undergo your interview, you will receive a determination within a month. However, in emergency situations, it may be possible to receive benefits more quickly. By obtaining our free guide, you can learn more about the process of applying for assistance.
The Phase Two Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Has Been Approved & Includes An Expansion Of Food Security Programs
President Trump just approved the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides waivers and modifications of Federal nutrition programs among other measures. Specifically, this bill includes an expansion of the SNAP food security program and the WIC program.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed by .
Steve Herman
The bill states that $500 million will be provided for the WIC program to low-income pregnant women or mothers with young children who lose their jobs or are laid off due to the COVID-19 emergency.
It also includes $400 million to The Emergency Food Assistance Program to help local food banks so they can meet the heightened demand. This $400 million is to be split with $300 million going to purchasing nutritious foods and $100 million for the storage and distribution of the food.
The bill also authorizes the USDA to approve the Pandemic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer plans that states put forward. USDA can approve state requests to provide emergency SNAP benefits to households with children who would otherwise receive free or reduced-price meals if not for their schools being closed due to the COVID-19 emergency. In order to be eligible, the childs school must be closed for no less than 5 consecutive days.
The bill also waives certain required responses in SNAP applications during the COVID-19 emergency and gives more flexibility to states in managing the SNAP program.
Don’t Miss: Tulsa County Dhs Food Stamps
The Scoop On State Politics In Your Inbox
DCFS’s Ellis said one of the big reasons for the clogged phone system remains people calling in and tying up lines when its not their turn.
On Tuesday, the agency added a wait time message about who could apply during that time period, in hopes those who aren’t calling during their allotted time would hang up and give their spot in line to someone else.
DCFS set up a schedule that allows applicants from specific parishes to phone during specified times in hopes of keeping the whole process running smoothly. Actually, applicants have three days to phone in to apply: The scheduled day for last names that begin with specific letters, then two additional days, Friday and Saturday, for people to phone in from those parishes regardless of the letter with which their last name begins.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides monthly benefits that help eligible low-income households buy the food they need for good health. For most households, SNAP funds account for only a portion of their food budgets they must also use their own funds to buy enough food to last throughout the month. Eligible households can receive food assistance through regular SNAP or through the Louisiana Combined Application Project .
For more information on SNAP and other services available through the Department of Children and Family Services , call 1-888-LAHELP-U .
SNAP participants may also meet the income eligibility guidelines for nutrition services through the Women, Infants & Children Program offered by the Louisiana Department of Health.
qualifications
Qualifying for Regular SNAP
To get benefits through regular SNAP, households must meet certain tests, including resource and income tests.
Households are not exempt from the resource limit if:
- Any member is disqualified for Intentional Program Violation, or
- The household is disqualified for failing to comply with work registration requirements.
The following individuals are not exempt from the resource limit:
- An ineligible alien,
- An ineligible student,
- An individual who is disqualified for failure to comply with work registration requirements,
- An individual who is disqualified for failure to provide or apply for a social security number, and
- An individual who is on strike.
You May Like: Food Stamp Eligibility Oklahoma
State Officials Project 185000 Will Apply For Hurricane Ida Assistance
Flood victims arrive to register for disaster food stamps at Blackham Coliseum in Lafyatte on Aug. 30, 2016.
Louisiana will extend its Hurricane Ida food stamp application period by three days due to high demand, officials said Wednesday.
The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, or DSNAP, opened Sept. 20 and now will run through Oct. 13. About 850,000 Louisianans who already receive regular food stamps, about one fifth of the population, need not apply DSNAP is for those who don’t normally qualify, officials said.
State officials said that in the first phase of the disaster program, they received 100,000 calls and 73,000 applications, and were logging as many as 350 calls per second. They project 185,000 Louisianans will apply.
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
| Louisiana is not authorized to operate DSNAP at this time. |
|---|
|
As you prepare for hurricane season or other disasters, make pre-registering for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program part of your plan.
DSNAP provides eligible low- to moderate-income households who do not normally receive SNAP benefits with help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.
SNAP Recipients Not Eligible for DSNAP
SNAP recipients are not typically eligible for DSNAP and should not apply. In the event of a disaster, if SNAP recipients are eligible for additional benefits, those benefits will be handled through a separate process.
Don’t Miss: Apply Food Stamps Houston
What’s Different About Dsnap
DSNAP provides eligible households who do not currently receive SNAP benefits with help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.
Normally, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase hot food products prepared for immediate consumption.
Waiving that restriction is vital in the aftermath of a storm such as Hurricane Ida, where many residents are displaced and cannot access a kitchen to prepare their meals.
How To Apply For Food Stamps Online In Louisiana
Filling out a food stamp application online is the most convenient method for many families. To do so, visit the DCFS application portal. New customers will need to create an account before proceeding, while existing customers can simply sign in to start a new application for benefits.
When you apply for food stamps online in Louisiana, you can also submit a form for other benefits that you may qualify for, such as the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program . If you are unsure of your eligibility, the state portal can also be used to determine your qualifications. However, be aware that using the eligibility tool is not the same as submitting an application.
Don’t Miss: Income Limit For Food Stamps Oregon
What Is Dsnap How Is Eligibility Determined
DSNAP provides eligible low- to moderate-income households who do not currently receive SNAP benefits with help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.
Eligibility for DSNAP benefits is determined by looking at the applicants take-home pay in the designated 30-day time-period , adding all available cash resources , and deducting the total dollar amount of money spent on any disaster-related expense that has not already been reimbursed during the designated 30-day period. Find more information on the DSNAP FAQ page at dcfs.la.gov/page/dsnap-faqs.
This week is Phase 2, followed by Phase 3. Here are the schedules:
State Poised To Give Food Stamps To More Affluent People
Up to 150,000 households who otherwise wouldnt qualify including some with six-figure salaries are expected to apply for food stamps as q
Phase 1 started Monday and was dedicated to people whose last names start with the letters A-F and are living in East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes. Tuesday was for residents of those parishes with last names beginning G-M.
Wednesday is for last names N-S living in the 10 parishes and Thursday is for last names T-Z.
Applicants can also phone on Friday and Saturday, regardless of their last name, provided they are living one of the affected parishes being processed during that phase.
Recommended Reading: Food Stamp Application Oklahoma
Replacement Snap Benefits Approved For 18 Parishes Following Hurricane Ida
The 18 parishes approved for automatic SNAP replacement benefits are Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington. The benefits 55% of each households monthly allotment for August will automatically be loaded onto recipients SNAP EBT cards on September 11th.
How To Submit A Louisiana Food Stamp Application By Mail
If you prefer to apply for SNAP benefits using a paper form, you may print out the application form from the official online state portal and then send it by mail. When you apply for food stamps by mail, make sure you include documentation that can be used to verify your information, such as your income and resources. If you do not have these documents on hand right away, you may be able to give them to the DCFS during your benefits interview.
Once your application is complete, make sure it is signed in the appropriate fields and that it includes the required information on each household member. Then, send your completed food stamps application to the appropriate address.
Don’t Miss: Food Stamp Office In Elizabethtown Kentucky
Section B On The Texas Snap Application Helps Determine Eligibility For Emergency Food Stamps
When applying for benefits it is important to pay attention to Section B on the food stamps application.
Section B will determine whether or not you will qualify for emergency food stamps, therefore you must answer these questions.
If you meet the conditions seen below then Texas Health and Human Services could award you food stamps in less than 24 hours.
The Following Information Is From The Louisiana Department Of Child And Families Services
BATON ROUGE, La.- Louisiana participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can use their benefits to purchase hot or prepared foods through September 28, 2021, following a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service .
Normally, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase hot food products prepared for immediate consumption. Waiving that restriction is vital in the aftermath of a storm such as Hurricane Ida, where many residents are displaced and cannot access a kitchen to prepare their meals.
The waiver, granted August 30, will allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy prepared foods available at any retailer that accepts EBT cards in Louisiana. Restaurant purchases are still prohibited.
The same waiver would apply to Disaster SNAP benefits, if and when that program is implemented, and P-EBT benefits
More information about the hot foods waiver can be found at .
DSNAP Update
DSNAP has not yet been federally authorized in any Louisiana parishes. DSNAP can be offered only in locations where a disaster has been federally declared, Individual Assistance has been federally approved and FNS has authorized a DSNAP operation.
In the meantime, residents affected by Hurricane Ida are encouraged to register for DSNAP. Registration does not guarantee benefits, but will make the application process easier and quicker for applicants if a DSNAP is approved for their community.
Dont Miss: Ok Food Stamps Application
Also Check: 2110 Telephone Rd Houston Tx 77023
