JOINT INFORMATION CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2008

Department of Social Services News Update

FOUR ADDITIONAL PARISHES DECLARED ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
Department of Social Services also preparing for aftermath of Hurricane Ike

BATON ROUGE -- More than 150,000 Louisiana residents have received much needed economic relief in the form of federal disaster-related food stamps this week, and now thousands more may find themselves eligible as four new parishes meet DFSP guidelines to receive aid. Grant, LaSalle, Catahoula and St. Helena parishes all meet mandated guidelines allowing residents of those areas to begin applying for assistance.

The four parishes join these already declared eligible: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

With the decision of local Office of Emergency Officials to temporarily close current Disaster Food Stamp sites because of the threat of Hurricane Ike, along with sites in these four new parishes being arranged and the possibility of another program being needed after this second hurricane, it will be vital that residents continue to monitor the Disaster Food Stamp page on the DSS website at the address http://www.dss.state.la.us/departments/dss/Disaster_Food_Stamp_Program_.html as well as local media. They can also call 1-888-524-3578 for help finding the most current application sites.

The Department of Social Services is working with local officials to identify sites of operation for registration for the program. Information about sites will not be released until those plans are firmly in place.

With the possibility of Hurricane Ike necessitating the need for the activation of a second Disaster Food Stamp Program, DSS is asking eligible applicants to keep their Electronic Benefit Cards in case they are needed again.

Individuals with disabilities can designate an authorized representative to apply for Disaster Food Stamps on their behalf. Also, each site manager has developed special procedures for assisting the disabled. Applicants with these special needs should make themselves known to the site manager or staff at the site In order to help the elderly, Council on Aging staff members have been trained to administer Disaster Food Stamps.

People 60 years of age or older should contact their local parish Councils on Aging for the nearest Disaster Food Stamp Assistance Application Site for seniors. If the local Council on Aging is not available, seniors should contact the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs at 1-877-340-9100.

DSS Secretary Williamson emphasized that the Disaster Food Stamps program has strictly defined income eligibility and can only be used for the purchase of food, and reminded participants in the regular Food Stamp Program that they do not need to apply. Their benefits were automatically lifted to the maximum amount allowable for September and their August benefits have been increased by 20 percent in order to replace lost food.


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