GEORGIA, USA — Since Hurricane Helene hurt communities across the Southeast region, disaster relief efforts are still underway in areas hit hardest.
In Georgia, the third phase of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP, is helping families.
Through providing temporary food assistance in the form of a one-time payment to households that suffered losses after Helene, the program is meant to support families in this time of need.
People living in Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, and Washington counties can apply during Phase 3.
Today, Nov. 14, is actually the last day folks can register for D-SNAP assistance.
Pre-registration for Phase 4 opens Monday, Nov. 18.
It's open for Appling, Bulloch, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, and Wheeler counties.
D-SNAP is supported by the Georgia Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to DHS Director Ellen Brown.
To qualify for D-SNAP in Georgia:
- Live or work in one of the counties declared by FEMA for Individual and Public Assistance at the time of the disaster
- Not currently receive food assistance through the regular SNAP program
- Have suffered a disaster-related loss to property or income, including incurring expenses related to the disaster
- Provide proof of identity for the head of household and authorized representative (if applicable)
- Meet financial eligibility requirements
If you're pre-registering for assistance online, Brown said that is only the first step.
To be eligible, you have to go through an interview in person or over the phone. "Georgians must complete the in-person interview at a designated D-SNAP site, send an authorized representative to do so, or complete the interview over the phone," Brown said.
Paper applications are available at D-SNAP sites.
Once a phase passes, residents are no longer eligible to apply.