The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) just announced a new extra SNAP benefit payment that will provide millions of American individuals and households with extra money for the coming month. Eligible Americans in five states will receive more money in May. If you currently live in Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, or Louisiana, keep reading to understand how you can get this extra payment.
Due to the current weather conditions, where heavy rains and strong winds have been in the country, some states with government authorization and support will receive the SNAP benefit earlier than others. The states chosen this month will be Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. For this final state, we must consider that approximately 200,000,000 people were left without electricity as a result of the tornado that displaced them in that area, some for more than 24 hours.
The previously mentioned states will receive an additional SNAP benefit payment, especially those people who report food losses due to a large number of floods or because the electricity in their homes has failed. It is important to point out that the SNAP benefit was only approved recently, in April, and that it is the responsibility of each state to verify population needs, along with the most affected areas, before considering increasing the coverage of the SNAP benefit in May.
What should residents do to get the extra SNAP benefit?
To apply for this additional benefit, you must fill out the SNAP 38 form and then send it by mail to the local agency of the state where you reside. If you do not have internet access, you can go to your local SNAP office and fill out the form in person, explaining in detail why your food was lost, such as because of power outages, flooding in your home, or even because of fires. However, if none of the above apply, you may also specify what caused the loss of your food.
Moreover, residents in these states must also consider that they will have only 10 days to report losses. The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) office will examine the situation of all applicants by checking the affected areas and will determine whether applicants are eligible for the SNAP benefit increase during the current month of this news. Therefore, if you are a person who suffered food loss during these natural disasters, we encourage you to report these losses as soon as possible before the deadline.
SNAP benefit payment dates for Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana
State | SNAP benefit payment date |
Alabama | May 4 to 23 |
Mississippi | May 4 to 21 |
Florida | May 1 to 28 |
Texas | May 1 to 28 |
Louisiana | May 1 to 23 |
What is D-Snap, and how does it work?
The SNAP benefit is a very important and invaluable resource for low-income American households, especially when they come during times of inflation crisis but also in times of natural disasters. Lastly, the SNAP benefit has a complementary program called D-SNAP, which is known as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This program is specifically executed during natural disaster events.
Furthermore, if a natural disaster strikes an area and causes a loss of food, the state can approve a transfer to its EBT, which is the card with which people receive income from being enrolled in the SNAP benefit and is programmed only to buy food in authorized stores. Remember that even if you are not eligible to receive the normal SNAP benefit, you may become eligible to receive the D-SNAP benefit after having survived a disaster resulting from rain, tornadoes, or fires. The requirements for applying to Benefit D-SNAP are here detailed:
- Loss of income due to the disaster.
- Personal damage related to the disaster.
- Evacuation or transfer costs.
- Costly expenses due to the disaster.