The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the extension of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits to residents of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
According to the USDA, an estimated 982,930 households in Georgia, 152,572 in North Carolina, and 54,692 in Tennessee are expected to qualify for this vital assistance.
In Georgia, residents in several counties can apply for D-SNAP benefits during specific periods:
- From October 21 to October 26, 2024, applications are open for counties including Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, and Long.
- From October 29 to November 4, 2024, the program extends to Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Glynn, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, and Ware counties.
- Between November 7 and November 14, 2024, residents of Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, and Washington counties can apply.
- The final application period runs from November 18 to November 23, 2024, for Appling, Candler, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, and Wheeler counties.
North Carolina’s application window runs from October 18 to October 24, 2024, and covers counties such as Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
Since SNAP is managed at the state level with federal funding, eligible applicants must apply through their respective state agencies. In Georgia, the Division of Family and Children Services handles applications, while North Carolina residents must apply via the Division of Health and Human Services, and Tennessee residents through the Department of Human Services.
