USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
This memo reiterates and extends the guidance, “Use of Virtual Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) Operations in Remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 and FY 2022,” issued on Aug. 2, 2021. This memo provides lessons learned and best practices for D-SNAP operations with virtual components.
State agencies have faced unprecedented challenges during the last two fiscal years while operating a D-SNAP with a virtual component. This memo clarifies the following D-SNAP policies for virtual, hybrid or in person environments: food loss alone for D-SNAP eligibility, 72-hour timeliness requirement and needs assessment.
USDA has issued guidance to states in implementing FFCRA of 2020 which provides for the issuance of emergency allotments based on a public health emergency declaration by the Secretary of HHS under the Public Health Service Act related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a state has also issued an emergency or disaster declaration.
This memorandum supersedes the Oct. 19, 2005 memorandum on Replacement of Commodities due to Natural Disasters.
This guidance applies to the Expanded Disaster Evacuee Policy (Sept. 2, 2005, as modified on Sept. 14, 2005).
This version replaces the guidance published on Sept. 9, 2005. We have clarified that the policy is applicable to evacuees that apply either in September or October 2005, and to households that move within the state. Concurrently, we have revised the Expanded Disaster Evacuee Policy to allow that policy to apply through Oct. 31, 2005.
This version replaces the guidance published on Sept. 2, 2005. It has been revised to extend the application period to the end of October and clarify that normal program rules apply beginning with January 2006 issuances.
This policy applies to evacuees from areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Those include counties in the Gulf Coast region in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. The unprecedented damage from Hurricane Katrina has made it necessary for people to be evacuated, not only from the project area where they are living, but even from the entire State.
This policy memo provides clarification on food loss as an eligibility factor for the Disaster Food Stamp Program.