USDA announced that people recovering from the impact of recent severe storms, flooding and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from the impact of recent severe storms, flooding and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 12,600 households in 14 counties in Kentucky are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.
Through this program, which USDA makes available through states in the aftermath of disasters, people who may not be eligible for SNAP in normal circumstances can participate if they meet specific criteria, including disaster income limits and qualifying disaster-related expenses.
“USDA is dedicated to helping individuals and families in Kentucky as they grapple with the aftermath of recent storms and flooding,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “We are expediting disaster assistance programs and working closely with state and local partners to provide support to impacted individuals as quickly as possible.”
Kentucky will operate its virtual and in-person D-SNAP application March 5, 2025, through March 7, 2025. Eligible counties include Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Simpson. Kentucky will share additional information about D-SNAP application dates and locations through local media.
How to Apply for D-SNAP
To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must either live or work in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria. Eligible households will receive one month of benefits – equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size – that they can use to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online to meet their temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster. For more information about Kentucky SNAP, visit Kynect Benefits. For more information about this and other available aid, callers from Kentucky can dial 2-1-1.
The D-SNAP announcement today is the latest in a battery of USDA actions taken to help Kentucky residents cope with recent storms and its aftermath, which also include:
- Approving a waiver to allow SNAP participants to buy hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their benefits at authorized SNAP retailers in 22 counties (Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, and Wolfe) through March 27, 2025.
- Approving waivers for the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits lost due to power outages in the affected areas.
The timing of D-SNAP varies with the unique circumstances of each disaster, but always begins after commercial channels of food distribution have been restored and families are able to purchase and prepare food at home. Before operating a D-SNAP, a state must ensure that the proper public information, staffing, and resources are in place.
Although current SNAP households are not eligible for D-SNAP, USDA has also approved Kentucky to automatically issue supplemental SNAP benefits to current SNAP households in the 14 approved counties (Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Simpson) to bring their allotment up to the maximum amount for their household size if they don’t already receive that amount.
Other USDA Resources and Support
Staff across USDA are working with Kentucky, local government officials, and partners to provide swift support to communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in affected areas. USDA previously announced that the department has already issued flexibilities and waivers across its many farm service, nutrition and community support programs, and is hard at work looking for additional flexibilities to get critical resources and support to communities in need. USDA has also taken steps to expedite assistance to agricultural producers, expediting insurance payments and implementing flexibilities and waivers to speed recovery efforts.
# # #
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
