Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall on the nation’s southeast coast, mostly in northern Florida, almost at the same time. Owing to its catastrophic consequences, some state governments still provide help vouchers to the impacted population over a month later.
Because of this, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Monday, November 11, that individuals who are recuperating from the hurricane’s damage may be eligible for a fresh round of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) deliveries.
This program is expected to support about 357,291 households across 28 South Carolina counties and one Tribe as the population eligible to receive this assistance for grocery expenses.
Through this program, USDA provides additional resources to hurricane victims, including those who would not typically qualify for the conventional SNAP program. Participants can, of course, also be SNAP participants who meet certain requirements for this extra aid, such as qualifying catastrophe-related expenses and disaster income restrictions.
South Carolina will not be the only state to receive DSNAP assistance, which is now available in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. USDA has revealed that more D-SNAP aid may be available in regions of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
The dates of South Carolina’s D-SNAP application season are November 12–21, 2024, for online applications, and December 2–13, 2024, for in-person applications.
The following areas are eligible: the Catawba Indian Reservation, Union and York counties, Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, and Spartanburg.
The government of South Carolina stated that it will use local media to disseminate further details regarding D-SNAP application dates and places.
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In South Carolina, who can apply for DSNAP benefits?
The applicant household must meet specific DSNAP eligibility requirements, demonstrate that their dwellings have been damaged as a result of the disaster, and reside in an area designated for disaster assistance.
To meet their short-term food needs while they reestablish themselves in their home, eligible households will receive one month of benefits after being accepted.
This amount is equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size and can be used to buy food at SNAP-authorized stores or specific online retailers.
