Arkansas Advocate: Disaster-related food aid available for families in 14 counties

By SONNY ALBARADO | Arkansas Advocate

Arkansans in 14 counties recovering from severe storms earlier this year may be eligible for food assistance under the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced.

An estimated 11,000 households are eligible for help with grocery expenses, the USDA said in a press release. People who might not be eligible for SNAP in normal circumstances can qualify if they meet certain criteria, including income limits and disaster-related expenses, the department release said.

Individuals can apply in person and by telephone through July 20. Eligible counties are Clark, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, Stone and White.

“USDA is dedicated to helping Arkansas residents as they grapple with the aftermath of the severe storms and its impact,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “We are working closely with state and our local partners to provide vital nutrition assistance to impacted individuals.”

How to Apply for D-SNAP

To be eligible for D-SNAP, household members must either live or work in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria.

Eligible households will receive one month of benefits, equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size, that they can use to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online to meet their temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster.

For more information about Arkansas SNAP, visit the Arkansas Department of Human Services. For more information about this and other available aid, callers from Arkansas can dial 2-1-1.

Current SNAP recipients in the designated areas are not eligible for D-SNAP, but they may request supplemental SNAP benefits to raise their allotment to the maximum amount for their household size for one month if they don’t already receive that amount.

The Trump administration approved two major disaster declarations for Arkansas following storms that produced damaging floods and winds in March and April.