ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — More assistance is being rolled out days after Hurricane Idalia impacted coastal communities in Florida.
As of Sunday, there are now two additional flexibilities for people who receive benefits from the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to the impacts of the storm, the Department of Children and Families said in a news release Sunday.
The two flexibilities include mass replacement of benefits for people in qualified counties who normally receive monthly benefits between Aug. 15-28. DCF said this will serve as a way to get rid of the need for recipients to submit requests individually in severely impacted areas.
People in the following counties are eligible to receive the Mass SNAP replacement:
- Citrus
- Columbia
- Dixie
- Gilchrist
- Hamilton
- Hernando
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Levy
- Madison
- Pasco
- Suwannee
- Taylor
- Wakulla County
The second flexibility will give recipients in approved counties to use their EBT card as a way to buy hot foods at participating retailers. Usually, food assistance benefits can only be used to purchase unprepared foods, such as breads, cereals, fruits, meats, poultry and vegetables, DCF says.
The Hot Food Waiver is eligible in the following counties:
- Alachua
- Baker
- Citrus
- Columbia
- Dixie
- Gilchrist
- Hamilton
- Hernando
- Hillsborough
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Leon
- Levy
- Madison
- Marion
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Polk
- Sumter
- Suwannee
- Taylor
- Union
- Wakulla
"We believe these flexibilities will help support families through the immediate recovery process, particularly households still awaiting power restoration,” DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris said in a statement. “Our team has deployed to several communities to bring supplies and additional support."
Officials say mass replacement of benefits will be given to more than 38,000 households and provide more than $8 million in food assistance.
To learn more about what's being offered by DCF, click here.