NEWS RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA
January 28, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH APPROVED FOR DSNAP DUE TO HURRICANE ZETA
Application Period Opens Monday, Feb. 1 – Sunday, Feb. 7, Will Follow Alphabet Schedule
JEFFERSON, LA – The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received federal approval on January 27, 2021 to begin virtual Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) operations in Jefferson Parish to provide additional food aid to families affected by Hurricane Zeta. The application process will run in a single phase from Monday, February 1, 2021 to Sunday, February 7, 2021.
DSNAP provides food assistance to eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster. Residents who received SNAP benefits in November 2020 are not eligible for DSNAP and should not apply. Residents who began to receive SNAP benefits after November 2020 may be eligible.
Residents will need the following information to pre-register and apply for DSNAP. Residents who pre-registered or applied for DSNAP after Hurricane Laura (or any time since March 2020) do not need to pre-register again. The LA Wallet mobile app is also available at no cost on both Apple and Android devices for easier verification of identity and residency. Step-by-step instructions for this can be found at www.dcfs.la.gov/page/dsnap-registration:
- Name, date of birth and social security number (if applicable) for each household member
- Driver’s license or state-issued ID number for the head of household
- Residential address and mailing address (if different)
- Income information for each household member from Oct. 27 to Nov. 26, 2020
- Resources information (e.g. cash, checking, savings) for each member, as of Oct. 27, 2020
- Amount of disaster-related expenses incurred from Oct. 27 to Nov. 26, 2020
Residents will be assigned a day, based on the first letter of their last name, to call the LaHelpU Customer Service Center to apply and be interviewed for DSNAP. On their designated day, residents will call 1-888-524-3578 (select language, then press 3-1-1), between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
See below for the Application Schedule for assigned dates:
- Monday, Feb. 1: Residents with the last name beginning with A-C
- Tuesday, Feb. 2: D-G
- Wednesday, Feb. 3: H-L
- Thursday, Feb. 4: M-R
- Friday, Feb. 5: S-Z
- Saturday Feb. 6: ALL (A-Z)
- Sunday, Feb. 7: ALL (A-Z)
When calling to apply for DSNAP, a worker will verify the applicant’s identity and residency, and obtain information about their income, resources and disaster-related expenses. Most applicants will be told on the phone immediately after completing their application and interview whether they have been approved to receive DSNAP and, if so, the amount of benefits they will receive. Applicants will also receive a letter by mail, confirming the eligibility decision made on their application. If approved for DSNAP benefits, the applicant’s card will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. Those that are staying in a shelter or state-provided hotel room should tell the caseworker so that their card can be sent to their hotel/shelter. Applicants may name an Authorized Representative (AR) to apply for DSNAP benefits on their behalf. The head of household must authorize the person to serve as AR on their behalf, and the worker will need to speak to the head of household to confirm that they agree for the AR to speak on their behalf.
Additional information about DSNAP is available at www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP.
For more information about Jefferson Parish, visit www.JeffParish.net. Residents can also receive regular updates by following the Parish on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@JeffParishGov) or by texting JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777.
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Jefferson Parish Public Information Office 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002 Jefferson, LA 70123 |
JPALERT – SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS |
Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO Office: |
