The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is encouraging residents to prepare for the 2021 Hurricane season by pre-registering online for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) benefits or updating their information.
DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance for eligible households who do not receive regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.
DCFS says that pre-registration allows applicants to get a head start on the process that determines eligibility if DSNAP is authorized for parishes impacted by storms.
Applicants are also able to enter information into the system for easy access should important documents be lost following a disaster or evacuation.
To pre-register, residents can visit dcfs.la.gov/preregister or getagameplan.org.
To pre-register for DSNAP, you will need to have ready the following information:
- The name, date of birth and Social Security Number (if applicable) for each household member
- Driver’s license or state-issued ID number (if applicable) for the head of household
- Residential address and mailing address (if different)
- Income information for each household member
- Resource information (e.g., cash, checking, savings) for each household member
To speed along the application process, residents are also encouraged to download the free LA Wallet mobile app at LAWallet.com. LA Wallet provides identity and residency verification required for DSNAP applications.
DCFS says that any family that has previously pre-registered for DSNAP or applied for DSNAP anytime since March 2020 does not need to pre-register again.
These families can update their financial and household information by logging into their account.
SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP, so Louisiana residents who receive SNAP benefits should not pre-register. In a disaster event, if SNAP recipients are eligible for additional benefits, DCFS says the additional benefits will be issued automatically or a separate process will be implemented.
Pre-registering for DSNAP does not guarantee benefits. In the event of a disaster, the state must request that the federal government initiate DSNAP, and can make the request only if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared the parish eligible for Individual Assistance.
Residents can stay connected to DCFS news by following DCFS on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LADCFS) and Twitter (@Louisiana DCFS) and signing up for news alerts about DSNAP at www.dcfs.la.gov by clicking "eNews Sign Up"
DSNAP is administered in Louisiana by DCFS and overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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