(WBAP/KLIF) – The State of Texas is providing a surge of food benefits to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients in the 58 counties included in the State Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Harvey.
SNAP recipients in the affected counties had their September benefits automatically loaded onto their Lone Star cards on September 1. Normally benefits are staggered throughout the first half of the month. With this change, Texas issued more than $160 million in benefits early to more than 600,000 SNAP households. SNAP recipients in the affected counties also saw a percentage of their August benefits automatically added to their Lone Star Cards to replace food that was lost during the storm. The benefits were the result of federal approval of waivers requested by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission from USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
“This is an unprecedented disaster,” said Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Charles Smith. “Texans sealing with the aftermath of Harvey need access to food benefits to replace what they lost in the storm.”
To ensure food benefits are continued seamlessly, Texas also requested and received federal approval to automatically extend benefits for six months for certain recipients who were up for renewal in the affected areas. Texas is also discussing with the federal government the possibility of a Disaster-SNAP waiver that would offer short-term food assistance benefits to eligible families recovering after they return home following the disaster.
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