California Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Last Published: 04/16/2019

Incident: California Storms and Subsequent Power Outages (February 2019)

FNS Disaster Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP)

  • On March 4, 2019, FNS approved California’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss to households in the counties of Lake, Sonoma and Mendocino. This waiver approval will allow households in these affected counties to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through March 26, 2019. These replacement benefits will allow households to replace food lost due to heavy rainfall and flooding resulting from storms that began on February 25, 2019.

Incident: Snow Storms and Subsequent Power Outages (February 2019)

FNS Disaster Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On February 25, 2019, FNS approved California’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss to households in Shasta County and will allow households in the affected county to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through March 14, 2019. These replacement benefits will allow households to replace food lost due to power outages resulting from the snow storms.  
  • FNS also approved California’s request to issue mass replacements of SNAP benefits for residents in impacted zip codes in Shasta County that suffered food losses resulting from power outages caused by the snow storms that began on February 12, 2019.  

Incident: Camp, Hill, and Woolsey Fires (November 2018)

FNS Disaster Assistance

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)

  • On November 29, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to operate a D-SNAP in Butte County starting on December 12, 2018. Specific information regarding D-SNAP eligibility and operations could be found on the State's web pages or by calling call the State’s SNAP hotline:
    -- SNAP Hotline: 877-847-3663
    -- Disaster CalFresh
    -- If you need assistance with or a replacement of your EBT card, please call the State’s EBT customer service number at: 877-328-9677
  • On Nov. 28, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to operate a D-SNAP in certain zip codes Los Angeles and Ventura counties starting on December 3, 2018. Specific information regarding D-SNAP eligibility and operations could be found on the State's web pages or by calling call the State’s SNAP hotline:
    -- SNAP Hotline: 877-847-3663
    -- Disaster CalFresh
    -- If you need assistance with or a replacement of your EBT card, please call the State’s EBT customer service number at: 877-328-9677

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On Dec. 18, 2018, FNS approved California’s extension request to allow  hot foods to be purchased at SNAP authorized retailers through January 16, 2019.  The waiver applies to the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Plumas, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba.

-- Hot Foods Notice to Retailers

  • On Nov. 29, 2018, FNS approved California's request to issue automatic disaster supplements to ongoing SNAP households in the following zip codes in Butte County: 95916, 95928, 95942, 95954, 95965, 95966, 95969, and 95978.
  • On Nov. 28, 2018, FNS approved California's request to issue automatic disaster supplements to ongoing SNAP households in the following zip codes:
    -- Los Angeles: 90263, 90290, 90265, 91302, 90264, 91012, 91301, 91304, 91307, 91361, 91362, 91372;
    -- Ventura: 91377, 91320, 91361, 91362, 93012, 93042, 93065.
  • On Nov. 21, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to issue mass replacements of SNAP benefits for residents in the following impacted zip codes:
    -- Ventura County: 91377
    -- Los Angeles County: 90263, 90290, 90265, and 91302
  • On Nov. 19, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to issue mass replacements of SNAP benefits for residents that suffered food losses due to power outages caused by the Camp Fire and pro-active de-energization of power lines by the local utility. This approval applies to the following impacted zip codes:
    -- Butte County: 95978, 95942, 95954, and 95969
    -- Plumas County: 95923, 95984, 95956, 95983, 96137, 95947, 95971, 95934, and 95915
  • On Nov. 16, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to allow hot foods to be purchased at SNAP authorized retailers through Dec. 17, 2018. The waiver applies to the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Plumas, Tehama, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, Yuba, and Ventura.  Retailers may need 24-36 hours to make changes that will allow for the sale of hot foods.

-- Hot Foods Notice to Retailers

  • On Nov. 16, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss to households in the counties of Butte, Ventura and Los Angeles. This waiver approval will allow households in these affected counties to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Dec. 10, 2018.

Disaster Household Distribution Program (DHD)

  • On Nov. 21, 2018, FNS approved a request from California to operate a Disaster Household Distribution Program in Butte County and surrounding areas (Colusa, Glenn, Plumas, Tehama, Shasta, Sutter and Yuba Counties). The program is expected to serve up to 8,000 people with food boxes beginning November 26 and operating for approximately two weeks.

Child Nutrition Programs

  • On Dec. 20, 2018, FNS approved California's request to extend disaster waivers for Paradise Unified School District. Paradise Unified School District may continue to serve and claim for reimbursement for school lunch and breakfast meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements through March 1, 2019.  Paradise Unified School District may also continue to serve all school lunch and breakfast meals to students at no cost and claim meals at the free reimbursement rate through March 1, 2019.
  • On Nov. 30, 2018, FNS issued a disaster approval for Butte County in response to the Camp Fire. Schools in Butte County may serve and claim for reimbursement school lunch and breakfast meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements through December 31, 2018. Schools in Butte County may also serve all school lunch and breakfast meals to students at no cost and claim meals at the free reimbursement rate through December 31, 2018.

Incident: Wildfire (October 14, 2018)

FNS Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On Oct. 24, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to issue mass replacements of SNAP benefits for residents that suffered food losses resulting from power outages, which occurred when power was proactively shut down due to extreme fire conditions. This approval applies to the following impacted zip codes:
    -- Amador County: 95601, 95666, 95689, 95665, and 95629
    -- Butte County: 95914
    -- Calaveras County: 95257, 95255, 95232, and 95248
    -- El Dorado County: 95636, 95634, 95726, 95684, 95633, 95720, 95635, and 95667
    -- Lake County: 95426, 95461, 95467, and 95423
    -- Napa County: 94508, 94567, 94576, and 94515
    -- Placer County: 95631, 95714, 95717, and 95701
    -- Yuba County: 95962, 95935, and 95919
  • California intends to issue replacement benefits as early as Oct. 25, 2018.

California Department of Social Service's CalFresh Website: If you think you may be eligible for disaster food assistance in your State, please contact your local State office.

 
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