54°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

EBR residents now able to apply for assistance from Disaster SNAP Program

2 years 11 months 6 days ago Monday, April 12 2021 Apr 12, 2021 April 12, 2021 6:31 AM April 12, 2021 in News
Source: WBRZ

According to The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), East Baton Rouge is among the 23 Louisiana parishes that have been granted federal approval to participate in the virtual Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP).

The parishes were approved for special government assistance due to the impact of the February 2021 winter storm.

As a result of ongoing concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, DSNAP applications will be handled by phone and benefits cards will be mailed to approved applicants.

Officials say residents will be assigned a day, which is based on the first letter of their last name, to apply and be interviewed for DSNAP. 

To apply, residents will call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The box below details when each East Baton Rouge Parish resident can apply. 

Officials say residents are encouraged, but not required, to take the following steps before calling to apply for DSNAP:

-Pre-register online first. Step-by-step instructions for this can be found on the DSNAP pre-registration page.

Residents who pre-registered or applied for DSNAP anytime since March 2020, do not need to pre-register again but will need to call to apply for benefits to be considered.

-Download the LA Wallet mobile app for identity and residency verificationClick here for information on the app, including download links.

-Gather all information needed for the application. A list of what is needed can be found on the DSNAP FAQ page

When residents call to apply and be interviewed for DSNAP, a worker will:

-Verify the applicant’s identity and residency

-Obtain information about 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.

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.

Elderly and disabled applicants who cannot complete the phone application process can apply at their local DCFS office.

SNAP Recipient Eligibility

SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP benefits. However, individuals who began receiving SNAP benefits after the storm can apply .

-Residents who began to receive SNAP benefits after February 2021 may be eligible.

-Residents who received SNAP benefits in February 2021 are not eligible.

-The latest information about SNAP benefits can be found at www.dcfs.la.gov/page/snap-updates

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days