SNAP Recipients May Apply for Replacement Benefits for Food Lost Due to T.S. Olga

BATON ROUGE - Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may be eligible for replacement benefits for food purchased with SNAP benefits and lost due to Tropical Storm Olga, if they report their loss to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) by Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019.

For Tropical Storm Olga, replacement benefits are not automatic. SNAP recipients must apply for them.

Replacement benefits are not Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) benefits. There is no D-SNAP for Olga.

Current SNAP recipients who received SNAP benefits in October 2019 and who lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to a power outage or other household misfortune related to Tropical Storm Olga can apply for replacement benefits.

For food losses due to power outage, the power must have been out for a minimum of 24 consecutive hours. DCFS works with the Public Service Commission to obtain reports of specific power outages. If DCFS cannot verify a household's power outage through these reports, SNAP recipients may be asked for verification of their power loss.

How to Apply

In keeping with federal regulations, DCFS cannot process a SNAP Replacement request until we have received a completed and signed SNAP 38 Form. Submit a completed and signed SNAP 38 Form in one of the following ways:

Fastest Option:  On or before Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, report the food loss to DCFS by turning in a completed and signed SNAP 38 Form in one of the following ways:

• Scan and upload the form to CAFÉ; or
• Send it to the Document Processing Center by mail to DPC, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or by fax to 225-663-3164; or
• If you cannot upload, mail or fax the form, bring it to your nearest DCFS Economic Stability office. A list of DCFS offices can be found at www.dcfs.la.gov/offices.

Alternative:  If you cannot get the signed form to us before Thursday, Nov. 7, then you must do both of the following to report your loss and send in the required form:

• Call 1-888-524-3578 by Thursday, Nov. 7, and provide your:
  • Parish
  • Dollar value of food loss
  • Length of time without power
• AND, within 10 days of reporting the loss to DCFS by phone call, send your completed and signed SNAP 38 Form to DCFS, as described above.

The sooner we receive the form, the sooner the request will be processed and the benefits will be issued.

SNAP 38 Forms

SNAP 38 Forms are available online at www.dcfs.la.gov/snapreplacementfaq and at DCFS Economic Stability (ES) offices. If a SNAP recipient cannot download the form or get to an ES office, the person can call 1-888-524-3578 to request that a form be mailed to them.

For more information about Replacement SNAP, or to download the SNAP 38 Form, visit www.dcfs.la.gov/snapreplacementfaq.

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SNAP Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.