Louisiana Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Incident: Hurricane Francine

Began: Sept. 11, 2024

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On Sept. 27, 2024, FNS approved Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) request to modify and extend Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to add one additional parish in response to the impact of Hurricane Francine that began on Sept. 11, 2024. President Joseph R. Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration with Federal Individual Assistance for Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes on Sept. 16, 2024. The declaration was amended on Sept. 23, 2024, to add Jefferson Parish. The initial waiver, approved on Sept. 20, 2024, authorized D-SNAP for Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes. The state plans to operate the D-SNAP in those parishes Sept. 25, 2024, through Sept. 27, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, through Oct. 1, 2024. This modification allows the state to operate D-SNAP in Jefferson Parish on Oct. 2, 2024, through Oct. 4, 2024, and Oct. 7, 2024, through Oct. 8, 2024.
• On Sept. 20, 2024, FNS approved the Louisiana DCFS request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of SNAP benefits as stated in the approval due to power outages as a result of Hurricane Francine that began on Sept. 11, 2024. The waiver approval applies to Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes.
• On Sept. 20, 2024, FNS approved Louisiana DCFS request to operate D-SNAP in eight (8) parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Francine that began on Sept. 11, 2024. President Joseph R. Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration with Federal Individual Assistance for Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes on Sept. 16, 2024. The state plans to operate the D-SNAP Sept. 25, 2024, through Sept. 27, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, through Oct. 1, 2024.
• On Sept. 20, 2024, FNS approved Louisiana DCFS request to extend certification periods and waive periodic reporting requirements for ongoing SNAP households Statewide scheduled to expire in October 2024 and November 2024 for up to six (6) months due to the impact of Hurricane Francine that began on Sept. 11, 2024.
• On Sept. 19, 2024, FNS approved the Louisiana DCFS request to waive the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits that was lost as a result of power outages due to Hurricane Francine that began on Sept. 11, 2024. The waiver applies to Ascension, Assumption, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington parishes. The waiver is in effect through Sept. 30, 2024.

Past Responses

2023

Incident: Severe Storms

Began: June 16, 2023

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On June 22, 2023, FNS approved the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of benefits as stated in the approval due to power outages as a result of severe storms that began on June 16, 2023. The waiver request applies to the parishes of Bossier, Caddo and DeSoto.
• On June 21, 2023, FNS approved the Louisiana DCFS request to waive the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits that was lost as a result of power outages due to severe storms that began on June 16, 2023. The waiver request applies to residents in the following 21 parishes: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, Tensas, Union, Webster, West Carroll and Winn. The waiver is in effect through July 17, 2023.

2021

Incident: Hurricane Ida

Began: Aug. 29, 2021

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

For more information about available aid Louisiana residents can dial 2-1-1 or call 1-888-LAHELPU (1-888-524-3578). For more information about Louisiana D-SNAP, visit http://dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP

• On Sept. 29, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to extend the D-SNAP application period by 3 additional days, from Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 through Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, to address the high level of need the state has seen. The state is required to follow the same conditions, procedures and criteria outlined in the approval from Sept. 14, 2021. During this extension period, Louisiana may accept applications from households in all disaster areas identified in the Sept. 14, 2021 approval.
• On Sept. 25, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s extension request to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, and companion regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The waiver applies to all parishes in the State of Louisiana. This waiver approval will allow SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Oct. 28, 2021.
• On Sept. 14, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in 25 parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021. President Biden issued a major disaster declaration with authorization for federal individual assistance for the following 25 parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.
• In order to mitigate the potential exposure and spread of COVID-19, the state agency will operate a virtual D-SNAP, and will conduct telephone interviews for applicants who complete an online preregistration before and during the application period. The state agency will also allow applicants to contact the state agency’s D-SNAP call center during the application period to complete an application and interview at the same time. The state agency will operate the D-SNAP in 3 phases, as detailed below:
  • Phase 1 will include 10 parishes: East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Orleans, Point Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana. Phase 1 will begin on Sept. 20, 2021, and will operate no more than 6 consecutive days until Sept. 25, 2021.
  • Phase 2 will include 10 parishes: Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Jefferson, Livingston, Plaquemines, St. Helena, St. Martin (only residents of zip code 70339 or 70380), St. Mary and Tangipahoa. Phase 2 will begin on Sept. 27, 2021, and will operate no more than 6 consecutive days until Oct. 2, 2021.
  • Phase 3 will include 5 parishes: Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and Terrebonne. Phase 3 will begin on Oct. 4, 2021, and will operate no more than 6 consecutive days until Oct. 9, 2021. If needed, the state may delay the application period for this phase by one week, to Oct. 11, 2021, through Oct. 16, 2021, because commercial channels of food distribution or communication systems have not been restored.
• On Sept. 5, 2021, FNS approved the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in all parishes in the State of Louisiana. This waiver approval allows impacted households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits, as well as August 2021 Emergency Allotments issued on Aug. 6, 13 and 20, 2021, as a result of power outages and flooding from Hurricane Ida that began on Aug. 29, 2021. The waiver will be in effect through Sept. 28, 2021.
• On Sept. 5, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of SNAP benefits in the 18 parishes as a result of the power outages and flooding from Hurricane Ida that began on Aug. 29, 2021.
• On Aug. 31, 2021, FNS approved a Louisiana request to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, and companion regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The waiver applies to all parishes in the State of Louisiana. This waiver approval allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 28, 2021, to replace food lost as a result of Hurricane Ida that began on Aug. 29, 2021. FNS will notify SNAP authorized retailers in the approved counties of the hot foods waiver approval. Retailers may need as much as 24-36 hours to make changes that will allow for the sale of hot foods.

Disaster Household Distribution (DHD) Program

• On Sept. 1, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s use of USDA Foods from TEFAP for a disaster household distribution program, in response to food assistance needs resulting from the Presidentially declared emergency declaration in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. The disaster household distribution food package will be provided to 800,000 individuals through multiple centralized locations to serve 20 parishes (West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Washington, Livingston, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, Assumption, St. James, St. John The Baptist, Orleans, St. Charles, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, Lafourche and Terrebonne). Approval for disaster household distribution is granted from Sept. 2 through Sept. 30, 2021, or until D-SNAP is implemented.

Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding

When May 17, 2021

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On June 17, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in approved zip codes in five parishes in response to the impact of severe storms and flooding starting May 17, 2021.

Incident: Severe Winter Storm

When Feb. 15, 2021

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On March 27, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in 23 parishes in response to the impact of a severe winter storm, which occurred between Feb. 15 and 18, 2021. The state will begin the application period on April 5, 2021, and it will be divided into two phases.
• On March 17, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in two parishes as a result of severe winter storms that began the week of Feb. 15, 2021. This waiver approval allows households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through March 31, 2021.
• On March 1, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in the State of Louisiana as a result of a winter storm and power outages that began on Feb. 15, 2021. This waiver approval allows affected households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through March 10, 2021.
• On Feb. 23, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver allows households to receive replacement of 45 percent of February benefits in three parishes as a result of the winter storms and power outages that began on Feb. 15, 2021.

2020

Incident: Hurricane Zeta

When: Oct. 28, 2020

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On Jan. 26, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in six parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Zeta, which made landfall on Oct. 28, 2020. The state agency will begin the application period on Feb. 1, and will operate for no more than seven consecutive days until Feb. 7, 2021.
• On Nov. 2, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana's request to issue SNAP mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver allows households to receive replacement of 25 percent of October benefits in the six parishes impacted as a result of Hurricane Zeta and power outages that began on Oct. 28, 2020.

Incident: Hurricane Delta

When: Oct. 9, 2020

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On Jan. 14, 2021, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to expand D-SNAP operations to 12 (+2) parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Delta which made landfall in Louisiana on Oct. 9, 2020. The state will open the application period for households in these parishes no earlier than Jan. 19, 2021, and will operate for no more than four consecutive days until Jan. 22, 2021.
• On Nov. 12, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to expand D-SNAP operations to five additional parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Delta which made landfall in Louisiana on Oct. 9, 2020. The state will open the application period for households in these parishes no earlier than Nov. 16, 2020, and will operate for no more than five consecutive days until Nov. 20, 2020.
• On Oct. 22, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in five parishes in response to Hurricane Delta which made landfall in Louisiana on Oct. 9, 2020. The application period will begin no earlier than Oct. 26, 2020, and will operate no more than seven consecutive days until Nov. 1, 2020.
• On Oct. 22, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in the State of Louisiana. This waiver allows affected households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Nov. 9, 2020, as a result of Hurricane Delta and power outages that began on Oct. 9, 2020.
• On Oct. 22, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to issue mass replacements to impacted D-SNAP households in 14 parishes. This waiver allows households to receive replacement of 45 percent of September benefits in the approved parishes as a result of Hurricane Delta and power outages that began on Oct. 9, 2020.
• On Oct. 21, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s waiver request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver allows households to receive replacement of 45 percent of October benefits in 25 parishes as a result of Hurricane Delta, and power outages that began on Oct. 9, 2020.

USDA Foods

• On Oct.11, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s amended request to use USDA Foods to operate a Disaster Household Distribution (DHD) program in 25 (+6) parishes. The program will operate from Oct. 11-31, 2020, in response to food assistance needs resulting from Hurricane Delta.

Incident: Hurricane Laura

When: Aug. 22, 2020

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• On Oct. 28, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s extension request to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, and companion regulations at 7 CFR 271.2 for the State of Louisiana. This waiver allows SNAP households to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits in the State of Louisiana through Nov. 30, 2020.
• On Sept. 30, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to extend the Hot Foods waiver, allowing hot foods to be purchased with SNAP benefits through Oct. 31, 2020, in response to the impact of Hurricane Laura which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 27, 2020. This waiver had been effective through Oct. 1, 2020.
• On Sept. 16, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to expand D-SNAP operations to three additional parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Laura which made landfall on Aug. 27, 2020. With this expansion, the state is now approved to operate D-SNAP in 21 parishes. FNS also approved Louisiana’s request to add seven days to the application period for Phase 1 of the state’s D-SNAP operation. This will allow residents who live in one of the Phase 1 parishes, up to 14 days to apply for D-SNAP.
• On Sept. 11, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to expand D-SNAP operations to two additional parishes in response to Hurricane Laura which made landfall on Aug. 27, 2020. With this expansion the state is now approved to operate D-SNAP in 18 parishes. The state will add these parishes to Phase 2 of their D-SNAP operations that will begin no earlier than Sept. 17, 2020, and will operate no more than seven consecutive days until Sept. 23, 2020.
• On Sept. 8, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request to operate D-SNAP in 16 parishes in response to the impact of Hurricane Laura which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 27, 2020. The state will operate D-SNAP in two phases. The application period for the first phase will begin no earlier than Sept. 10, 2020, and will operate no more than seven consecutive days until Sept. 16, 2020. The second phase will begin no earlier than Sept. 17, 2020, and will operate no more than seven consecutive days until Sept.23, 2020.
• On Sept. 8, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver provided households with replacement of 50 percent of August benefits in the 26 parishes as a result of Hurricane Laura and power outages that began on Aug. 27, 2020.
• On Sept. 3, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s waiver request that provided households in the state the ability to purchase hot foods and hot food products for immediate consumption with SNAP benefits. The approval applies statewide.

Disaster Household Distribution Program

• On Aug. 30, 2020, FNS approved Louisiana’s request for a disaster household distribution program of USDA Foods packages to approximately 880,492 individuals in 20 parishes (Cameron, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Beauregard, Allen, Natchitoches, Vernon, Rapides, Sabine, Grant, LaSalle, Catahoula, Winn, Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Union, Bienville, Ouachita, and Red River) from Aug. 29 through Sept. 21, 2020 or until a D-SNAP is implemented in an approved parish.