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BATON ROUGE, LA – As the 2021 hurricane season begins, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) encourages residents to prepare by pre-registering online for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) benefits or updating their information, if necessary.

DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance for eligible households who do not receive regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.

Pre-registration allows you to get a head start on the application process that determines final eligibility if DSNAP is authorized in your parish. It also allows you to enter necessary information into the system should you lose access to the information or documents following a disaster or evacuation.

To pre-register, residents can visit dcfs.la.gov/preregister or getagameplan.org.

To pre-register for DSNAP, you will need to have ready the following information:

The name, date of birth and Social Security Number (if applicable) for each household member
Driver’s license or state-issued ID number (if applicable) for the head of household
Residential address and mailing address (if different)
Income information for each household member
Resource information (e.g., cash, checking, savings) for each household member

To speed along the application process, residents should also download the free LA Wallet mobile app now at LAWallet.com. LA Wallet provides identity and residency verification required for DSNAP applications.

Any family that has previously pre-registered for DSNAP or applied for DSNAP anytime since March 2020 does not need to pre-register again. If needed, these families can update their financial and household information by logging into their account.

SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP, so Louisiana residents who receive SNAP benefits should not pre-register. In a disaster event, if SNAP recipients are eligible for additional benefits, the additional benefits will be issued automatically or a separate process will be implemented.

Pre-registering for DSNAP does not guarantee benefits. In the event of a disaster, the state must request that the federal government initiate DSNAP, and can make the request only if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared the parish eligible for Individual Assistance.

Residents can stay connected to DCFS news by following DCFS on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LADCFS) and Twitter (@Louisiana DCFS) and signing up for news alerts about DSNAP at www.dcfs.la.gov by clicking “eNews Sign Up”

DSNAP is administered in Louisiana by DCFS and overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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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:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.