MONTGOMERY – Individuals and families living in the 41 disaster-declared counties that received food assistance benefits from the Department of Human Resources (DHR) in May have been issued additional benefits. This supplemental issuance is part of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).
Under D-SNAP, current food assistance recipients who reside in a disaster-designated county, and have not already received the maximum benefit for the month of May, received an additional amount that gives them the maximum monthly benefit allowed for their household size. These benefits were issued automatically and there is no action required of current food assistance recipients.
Households that already receive the maximum monthly benefits for May will not receive an increase.
On May 1, 2011, DHR issued benefits early to current recipients in Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Colbert ,Cullman, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties.
On May 2, 2011, FNS approved a temporary waiver that permits food assistance recipients to use their benefits to purchase hot foods in those counties designated for disaster assistance. The waiver is effective through May 31, 2011.
Other programs designed to assist families with their nutritional needs are being pursued and will be announced as they become available.
All states operate the food assistance program according to regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.