BATON ROUGE – Residents in Ascension Parish will have their chance to apply for disaster food stamps this week.

Residents in certain Ascension Parish ZIP codes who are not receiving regular SNAP benefits may be eligible for DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps.

Officials have approved these ZIP codes for aid: 70725, 70734, 70737, 70769, 70774, and 70778

DSNAP provides food assistance to homes who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages from a disaster.

Residents can go to the Lamar Dixon Expo Center at 9039 South St. Landry Road in Gonzales and apply starting Wednesday. The DSNAP site will serve applicants on a staggered schedule based on the first letter of the applicant’s last name.

Here is the schedule for last names:

Wednesday, March 30: A – F

Thursday, March 31: G-N

Friday, April 1: O-Z

Saturday, April 2: A-K (applicants unable to make the prior scheduled days)

Sunday, April 3: L-Z (applicants unable to make the prior scheduled days)

"It's important to know the lines are longest over the weekend. We encourage residents, if at all possible, to go during the week,” DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters said.

Applicants can pre-register online and should only go to the site on the day indicated by the first letter in their last name.

Applicants can send an authorized representative on their behalf, but they must bring their picture ID, a picture ID of the applicant and a signed statement from applicant. Accommodations can be made for the elderly and residents with disabilities.

Households that receive regular SNAP benefits do not need to apply for DSNAP.

Residents are encouraged to go online and preregister for DSNAP benefits at the DCFS website or by calling 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) daily between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Saturday was the last day to apply for DSNAP benefits in 23 other parishes. In the first five days, more than $13.5 million in DSNAP benefits were distributed to 36,635 households in 23 parishes.