Food assistance available for Texans after Hurricane Harvey, USDA says

Texans recovering from Hurricane Harvey may be eligible for food stamps, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said households that normally would not be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may qualify for the agency’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) if they meet the program’s income limits and have qualifying disaster-related expenses.

“USDA is committed to helping hurricane-stricken Texans get back on their feet,” Perdue said in a statement. “Because the need for help doesn’t end when the rain stops. In so many ways, it’s just begun.”

The USDA said D-SNAP-eligible households in the affected areas will receive two months of benefits equivalent to the maximum amount of benefits normally issued to a SNAP household of their size.

{mosads}Under D-SNAP, a household of four with a monthly income of $2,710 could qualify and receive a maximum of $649, according to the USDA’s website.

The household must live in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria to qualify.

Texas Health and Human Services Commission will announce D-SNAP dates and locations through the local media.

Hurricane Harvey tore through Texas late last month and caused historic flooding in the Lone Star State. President Trump reportedly signed a bipartisan spending package last week that included more $15 billion in disaster recovery aid for communities in Texas and Louisiana devastated by the storm.