USDA Announces Approval of D-SNAP for California Disaster Areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from the impact of recent wildfires and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 81,477 households in 28 zip codes in Los Angeles County are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.

Through this program, which USDA makes available through states in the aftermath of disasters, people who may not be eligible for SNAP under normal circumstances can participate if they meet specific criteria, including disaster income limits and qualifying disaster-related expenses.

“USDA is dedicated to helping Californians as they grapple with the aftermath of the Eaton, Hurst, and Palisades fires by ensuring families have the resources they need to rebuild and recover,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Gary Washington. “We are expediting disaster assistance programs and working closely with state and local partners to provide support to impacted individuals as quickly as possible.”

California will operate its virtual and in-person D-SNAP application from Feb. 10, 2025, through Feb. 18, 2025. Eligible zip codes in Los Angeles County include: 90049, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91006, 91008, 91010, 91011, 91016, 91020, 91024, 91101, 91103, 91104, 91105, 91107, 91206, 91208, 91214, 91301, 91302, 91321, 91342, 91344, 91750, 93510. California will share additional information about D-SNAP application dates and locations through local media.

How to Apply for D-SNAP

To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must either live or work in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria. Eligible households will receive one month of benefits – equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size – that they can use to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online to meet their temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster. For more information about California SNAP, visit California’s Department of Social Services. For more information about this and other available aid, callers from California can dial 2-1-1.

The D-SNAP announcement today is the latest in a series of USDA actions taken to help California residents cope with recent wildfires and their aftermath, which also include:

• Approving a waiver to allow SNAP participants to buy hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their benefits at authorized SNAP retailers in seven counties (Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura) through Feb. 8, 2025.
• Approving waivers for the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits lost due to power outages in the affected areas.
• Approving waivers that provide operational flexibilities in multiple nutrition programs, including the Child Care Food Program, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Seamless Summer Option.

The timing of D-SNAP varies with the unique circumstances of each disaster but always begins after commercial channels of food distribution have been restored and families are able to purchase and prepare food at home. Before operating a D-SNAP, a state must ensure that the proper public information, staffing, and resources are in place.

Although current SNAP households are not eligible for D-SNAP, USDA has also approved California to automatically issue supplemental SNAP benefits to current SNAP households in the nine zip codes (90265, 90290, 91008, 91016, 91024, 91301, 91302, 91750, and 93510) to bring their allotment up to the maximum amount for their household size if they don’t already receive that amount. SNAP households in the remaining 19 zip codes may request supplemental benefits from their state SNAP agency.

Other USDA Resources and Support

Staff across USDA are working with California local government officials and partners to provide swift support to communities, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses in affected areas. USDA previously announced that the department has already issued flexibilities and waivers across its many farm service, nutrition, and community support programs and is hard at work looking for additional flexibilities to get critical resources and support to communities in need. USDA has also taken steps to expedite assistance to agricultural producers, expediting insurance payments and implementing flexibilities and waivers to speed recovery efforts.

What DHS and FEMA are Doing: https://www.fema.gov/california-wildfires
Spanish: https://www.fema.gov/es/california-incendios-forestales

What the U.S. Government is Doing: https://usa.gov/california-wildfires
Spanish: https://usa.gov/es/california-incendios-forestales