When: August 25, 2017, and continuing

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• FNS approved the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) request to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in 39 counties that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The D-SNAP application period will begin on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, through Tuesday, September 19, 2017, in 11 counties: Dewitt, Gonzalez, Jasper, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Matagorda, Newton, Orange, Sabine and Tyler. Applicants may only apply at the site designated for the county they resided in at the time of the disaster. Application sites will operate from 8am – 7pm each day of the application period.  Eligible households will receive 2 months of D-SNAP benefits. Click here for more information on D-SNAP application sites.
• FNS also approved the State request to issue automatic supplements to ongoing SNAP households in 39 counties that received a presidential declaration of disaster for individual assistance. FNS approved the automatic issuance of 2 months of disaster supplemental benefits.  Ongoing SNAP households in other counties affected by Hurricane Harvey that have not been included in a presidential declaration of disaster for individual assistance, may request disaster supplements on an individual basis via signed affidavit attesting to their disaster losses.  Ongoing households already receiving the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for their household size are not eligible for disaster supplements, as no household may receive more than the maximum allotment during the benefit period.
• On September 1, FNS approved a policy to provide States with flexibility to serve Hurricane Harvey evacuees.  States may choose to either serve evacuees through expedited SNAP rules or through the simplified program rules in the Evacuee Policy.  The Evacuee Policy applies to anyone who at the time of Hurricane Harvey was a resident of a county that received a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance, did not receive SNAP benefits in the month of August 2017, and evacuated to another State that chooses to apply the Policy.
• On September 1, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) issued all September 2017 SNAP benefits to SNAP households in the 29 counties that received a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.
• In addition, on September 1, HHSC issued automatic, mass replacement of August 2017 SNAP benefits to SNAP households in the 29 declared counties. The mass replacement benefits were issued to replace food that was purchased with August 2017 SNAP benefits that was destroyed due to the disaster. Replacement benefits were automatically issued to all regular SNAP households in the affected counties, by means of an automated credit to their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards.  Households that have already received replacement benefits based on a signed affidavit of loss are excluded from the mass replacement process.
• FNS approved the State’s request to waive the 10-day reporting requirement for replacement of food purchased with August 2017 SNAP benefits destroyed in Angelina, Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kerr, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton, Willacy, and Wilson Counties.  Affected households have until September 30, 2017, to report food losses to their local offices and request replacement benefits.
• FNS approved the State’s hot foods’ waiver request to allow recipients to purchase hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their benefits at authorized SNAP retailers statewide through September 30, 2017.

Texas Hot Foods Notice

• On August 31, FNS approved the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) request to allow HHSC to extend certification periods for SNAP households in the below 58 affected counties with certification periods expiring in August, September, or October 2017, by 6 months; any case originally scheduled for recertification in August, September, or October 2017, muist now be recertified in February, March, or April 2018, respectively.
• On August 31, FNS approved the State’s request to allow HHSC to waive the periodic reporting requirements for households in the below 58 affected counties due to report in August, September, or October 2017, to provide administrative relief to HHSC in the short term as the State recovers from the disaster, as well as provide disaster-affected households additional time to report.

The 58 affected counties include:  Angelina, Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kerr, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton, Willacy, and Wilson.

Texas Health and Human Services’ Website

USDA Foods

• FNS approved Texas to operate a Disaster Household Distribution program to address immediate food needs. Packages containing USDA Food will be distributed by local feeding organizations to over 23,000 households beginning September 8, 2017, for up to four weeks.  If Texas implements a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in the distribution area prior to four weeks, the household distribution will end.
• FNS approved a waiver to allow distribution of August 2017 Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) food packages in September 2017. as retroactive benefits.  In September, participants may receive two CSFP food packages – an August food package and a September food package (e.g., a two month supply of food). This approval applies to the Houston and Beaumont food banks, and includes all distribution sites identified to FNS as impacted by the disaster.
• Texas and The Salvation Army are using USDA Foods to prepare and serve 100,000 meals to those in need.
• FNS informed the Texas that it can use The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) USDA Foods to provide meals at food pantries and soup kitchens for people in need who cannot reach larger disaster feeding organizations but who are able to gather at small local organizations to eat.

Child Nutrition Programs

• On September 5, FNS approved Texas’ request to have more time for, or put on hold, deadlines related to appeals from Child Nutrition operators related to fiscal or other adverse actions. This will give the State relief in focusing on more time-sensitive issues in the present time, and allow all parties to have additional time for the process. This approval is effective through December 31, 2017.
• FNS approved additional requests from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) for waivers or program flexibilities to program requirements of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the CSFP, including:

1. Approval to implement non-congregate feeding through the NSLP’s Seamless Summer Option and the SFSP, as needed, with prior notification to the FNS Southwest Regional Office
2. Approval to allow two schools to utilize the same location and claim meals separately through the NSLP and SBP. The site may not exceed the maximum number of meals allowed under regulation.
3. Approval of a waiver of the timeliness for submission of corrective actions from areas in which TDA has received notification of postal service interruption.  Instead, for corrective action due through September 30, 2017, the State agency has discretion in establishing longer corrective action timelines on a case-by-case-basis.
4. Approval to waive the area eligibility requirements for the SFSP, Seamless Summer Option, and the at-risk afterschool meals component of CACFP through September 30, 2017.

• On August 29, FNS approved the State’s request for waivers or program flexibilities in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer Option, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The approvals allow all schools and child care institutions and facilities in declared disaster counties to waive meal pattern requirements through September 30, 2017; and, schools in affected counties, including those currently participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, to provide meals at no charge to students and be reimbursed for all meals served at the Free reimbursable rate through September 30, 2017.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

• On September 3, FNS approved the State’s request to substitute certain WIC-approved food items (fluid milk, bread and eggs) through September 24, 2017, due to regional demand and supply chain disruptions caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Texas Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Assistance Programs’ Website

If you think you may be eligible for disaster food assistance in your State, please contact your local State office.