TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Weeks after Hurricane Ian made landfall, people in hard-hit areas are now becoming eligible for Disaster SNAP benefits for a limited registration time.
As the Florida Department of Children and Families opens the second phase of D-SNAP, people in Flagler, Highlands, Manatee, Orange, Pinellas and St. Johns counties are now eligible to apply.
D-SNAP benefits provide food assistance for people impacted by Hurricane Ian and who are not receiving food assistance benefits through the regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to the state.
"The first week of D-SNAP has been highly successful with nearly 100,000 pre-registrations," Secretary Shevaun Harris said in a statement. "I encourage everyone to take advantage of the virtual/telephonic option so that we can provide you with the quickest service possible."
Harris said the process to pre-register this way is simple and allows applicants to not have to attend an in-person D-SNAP event. On-site interviews are not required if a phone interview is completed.
Phase One of the virtual/telephonic D-SNAP program began on Oct. 10 and ended at 5 p.m. on Oct. 16. Counties in Phase One included Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, Polk and Sarasota counties.
Phase Two began on Monday, Oct. 17. Phase Three will begin on Monday, Oct. 27, and include Hillsborough, Lake, Osceola, Putnam, Seminole and Volusia counties.
Click here to view the D-SNAP schedule by county and more details on how to apply.
