Arkansas floods: Who is eligible for USDA's newly-launched assistance program

Arkansas residents recovering from recent major flooding in 12 counties could be eligible for a helping hand from USDA's Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) announced recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Households who are not normally eligible under regular SNAP rules may qualify for D-SNAP if they meet the disaster income limits and have qualifying disaster-related expenses.

"USDA always stands ready to assist those in need, when devastation like the flooding in Arkansas occurs," said Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps. "D-SNAP will help residents in the stricken areas put food on the table as they work to recover from this disaster."

The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) will operate D-SNAP to serve households impacted in the following 12 counties: Arkansas, Conway, Crawford, Desha, Faulkner, Jefferson, Logan, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Sebastian, and Yell. Information about D-SNAP dates and locations will be shared by DHS through the local media.

D-SNAP-eligible households in the affected areas will receive one month of benefits, equal to the maximum benefit amount normally issued to a SNAP household of their size, to meet their food and nutrition needs as they settle back home following the disaster. To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must live in a Presidentially-declared disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria.

The timing of D-SNAP varies with the unique circumstances of each disaster, but always begins after commercial channels of food distribution have been restored and families are able to purchase food and prepare it at home. Before operating a D-SNAP, a state must ensure proper public information, staffing and resources are in place. USDA has already approved the issuance of supplemental SNAP benefits for disaster-affected SNAP households, to bring their monthly benefits up to the maximum allotment for their household size. This supplement makes the SNAP benefits of households already participating in the program consistent with those of new households participating D-SNAP.

(With inputs from USDA press release)