Avoyelles Parish ZIP Code 71351 Added to Week's DSNAP

BATON ROUGE -The federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved an additional parish for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) beginning today, Tuesday, April 12 through Friday, April 15. Residents living in the communities of Brouillette, Vick, and Center Point in Avoyelles Parish ZIP code 71351 and who were impacted by the March floods may be eligible to receive disaster food assistance.

This week's DSNAP has been approved for communities in the following ZIP codes:

• Avoyelles ZIP code - 71351
• Catahoula ZIP codes - 71340, 71343, 71368, and 71425
• East Carroll ZIP code -71254
• Franklin ZIP code - 71295
• St. Helena ZIP codes - 70422, 70441, 70443, and 70444

DSNAP locations will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 through Friday, April 14 for residents to apply.

• Avoyelles Parish - LSU Ag Center, 8592 LA 1, Mansura 71350
• Catahoula Parish - LaSalle Community Action, 825 Highway 8, Sicily Island 71340
• East Carroll Parish - St. Patrick Catholic Church - Barker Hall Building, 209 Scarborough, Lake Providence 71254
• Franklin Parish - DCFS Office, 2406 West Street, Winnsboro 71295
• St. Helena Parish - Greater Turner Chapel AME, 875 Turner Chapel Rd., Greensburg 70441

Applicants and anyone who pre-registered for benefits should go to a DSNAP location only on one of the days indicated by the first letter of their last name.

• Tuesday, April 12 - A-K
• Wednesday, April 13 - L-Z
• Thursday, April 14 - A-K
• Friday, April 15 - L-Z

DSNAP applicants MUST go to a specified DSNAP site to apply and receive benefits, if eligible. Applicants may name an Authorized Representative to go to a DSNAP site on their behalf. Authorized representatives must bring with them to the DSNAP site a picture ID and the picture ID of the applicant/head of household along with a signed statement from the applicant/head of household or an adult household member authorizing them as a representative.

Accommodations will be made for the elderly and those with disabilities to reduce on-site wait times.

Regular SNAP households DO NOT need to apply for DSNAP. The program is only for residents who are not currently on the SNAP program.

To help expedite the application process, DCFS is encouraging residents in all affected areas to pre-register for DSNAP benefits. The best way to do this is online at www.dcfs.la.gov/dsnap. However, residents can also pre-register by phone at 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Callers will select the appropriate language and then select options 3 and 3. Residents who are already pre-registered do not have to pre-register again, but they should update their information if it is not current. All pre-registrants will have to provide the following information:

• Name, Social Security Number, and Date of Birth for each household member
• Current address and parish of household
• Monthly income for each household member
• All liquid assets for each household member (cash on hand, checking, savings)
• The information will be kept securely on file and will be confidential.

Pre-registration does not guarantee benefits, but is designed to save time, minimize long waits, and prevent applicants from coming to the site only to find out that they do not have the right information needed to apply.

As with all programs, DCFS works to ensure this program and others are available for eligible applicants by aggressively protecting against fraud in benefits programs year round. Strong safeguards are in place to ensure that only eligible citizens receive DSNAP benefits, to identify those who are dishonest about their eligibility, and to pursue recoupment and/or prosecution.

If you believe that someone fraudulently received DSNAP benefits, report it online at www.dcfs.la.gov/ReportFraud or by phone at 1-888-LA-HELPU (1-888-524-3578) and select option 7.

About Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP)

DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance to eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster. DCFS has already issued DSNAP benefits to residents in all or part of 30 parishes granted federal disaster declarations as a result of the recent floods.