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California Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Last Published: 12/20/2018

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

FNS Disaster Assistance

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)

  • On Nov. 29, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to operate a D-SNAP in Butte County starting on December 12. Look for specific information regarding D-SNAP eligibility and operations on state web pages or 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. Look for specific information regarding D-SNAP eligibility and operations on state web pages or 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.
    -- Hot Foods Notice to Retailers
    -- Retailers may need 24-36 hours to make changes that will allow for the sale of hot foods
  • 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 occured 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.

Incident: Carr Wildfire (Began July 23, 2018)

FNS Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On July 28, FNS approved California’s request for timely household reporting of food loss for Shasta County. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 21, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the Carr Fire.
  • On August 8, FNS approved California's request for timely household reporting of food loss for Trinity County. This waiver approval will allow households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Sept. 5, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits will allow households to replace food lost as a result of the Carr Fire.
  • On Aug. 10, 2018, FNS approved the California request for automatic mass replacements in Shasta County. This waiver approval will allow households to receive replacement benefits without having to appear at a local SNAP office to sign an affidavit attesting to food loss, and will allow local DSS offices to operate the program in a more efficient and effective manner. This waiver applies to the following zip codes: 96033, 96047 and 96087.
  • On Aug. 15, 2018, FNS approved the California Department of Social Services’ request to operate D-SNAP in Shasta County due to the impacts of the ongoing Carr Fire. The State agency accepted D-SNAP applications from Aug. 22-25, 2018, and will continue to accept application from Aug. 27-29, 2018. FNS also approved automatic supplements for ongoing SNAP households in zip codes 96001, 96003, 96019, 96079, 96089, 96033, 96087, 96047, and 96095.
  • On Aug. 16, 2018 FNS approved California’s request to allow for hot foods to be purchased at SNAP authorized retailers. Due to the power outages, displacement from homes and structure loss caused by the Carr Fire, FNS has approved a waiver so that affected SNAP households in Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties are able to buy hot foods and hot food products with their SNAP benefits through Sept. 16, 2018.

State agencies are responsible for requesting and operating the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). For more information, visit the State’s website or call the State’s SNAP hotline at 1-877-847-3663. For questions related to your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, call 877-328-9677.

Child Nutrition Programs

  • On September 28, FNS approved a waiver extension request from the California Department of Education for one school impacted by the Carr Fire: Shasta Elementary may continue to provide school meals to students and claim all meals at the free rate through Jan. 1, 2019.
  • On August 10, FNS approved California’s request for disaster waivers to assist schools impacted by the Carr Fire. These waivers apply to schools that operate the school lunch and school breakfast programs in Shasta County.
    -- Schools in Shasta County may serve and claim all school lunch and school breakfast meals at the Free Reimbursement Rate, effective Aug. 13 through Sept. 30, 2018.
    -- Schools in Shasta County may serve school lunch and school breakfast meals that do not meet the menu planning or meal pattern requirements, effective Aug. 13 through Sept. 30, 2018.
  • California also has the discretion to execute the following flexibilities in Shasta County: Flexibility to allow organizations with current agreements to operate the Summer Food Service Program to open emergency feeding sites, Flexibility to allow Summer Food Service Program sites to be located at school sites during school closure, and Flexibility to designate any appropriate facility as an emergency shelter and waive Child and Adult Care Food Program application requirements.

 
Incident: Cranston Fire (Began July 25, 2018)

FNS Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On August 6, FNS approved California's request for timely household reporting of food loss for Riverside County. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 23, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the Cranston Fire.
  • On Aug. 13, 2018, FNS approved California’s request to issue mass replacements for certain zip codes in Riverside County. This waiver approval will allow the California Department of Social Services to automatically replace 30 percent of the July 2018 SNAP benefit for households affected by the Cranston Fire in the following zip codes: 92536, 92539 and 92561.

 
Incident: Mendocino Complex Wildfire (Began July 27, 2018)

FNS Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On July 31, FNS approved California’s request for timely household reporting of food loss for Mendocino and Lake Counties. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 26, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the River and Ranch Fires.
  • On Aug. 10, 2018, FNS approved the California request for automatic mass replacements in Lake and Mendocino Counties. This waiver approval will allow households to receive replacement benefits without having to appear at a local SNAP office to sign an affidavit attesting to food loss, and will allow local DSS offices to operate the program in a more efficient and effective manner. This waiver applies to the following zip codes:
    -- Lake County: 95458, 95464, 95485, and 95493
    -- Mendocino County: 95410, 95415, 95420, 95427, 95432, 95437, 95456, 95459, 95460, 95463, 95466, 95469, 95470, 95482, 95488, 95490, and 95494.
  • .On Aug. 20, 2018, FNS approved the California Department of Social Services’ request to operate D-SNAP in Lake County. The State agency accepted D-SNAP applications from August 22 through August 25, 2018, and will continue to accept applications from Aug. 27-29, 2018. FNS also approved automatic supplements for ongoing SNAP households in zip codes: 95458, 95464, 95485, 95493, 95453, 95423, 95451, 95443, and 95435.
  • On Aug. 20, 2018, FNS approved an amended hot foods waiver so that affected SNAP households in Colusa, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Yolo counties are able to buy hot foods and hot food products with their SNAP benefits through September 16, 2018.

State agencies are responsible for requesting and operating the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). For more information, visit the State’s website or call the State’s SNAP hotline at 1-877-847-3663. For questions related to your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, call 877-328-9677.

FNS Disaster Nutrition Assistance

  • On July 25, 2018, FNS approved California’s request for timely household reporting of food loss for Mariposa County. This waiver approval allowed households to request replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 13, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allow households to replace food lost as a result of the Ferguson Fire.
  • On July 13, FNS approved California's request for timely household reporting of food loss for Siskiyou County, California. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 6, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the Klamathon Fire.
  • On June 29, 2018, FNS approved California’s request for timely household reporting of food loss for Lake County, California. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through July 23, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the Pawnee Fire.
  • On Feb. 8, 2018, FNS approved the California Department of Social Services' (CDSS) request to operate a D-SNAP in 11 zip codes within Los Angeles and San Diego counties due to the impact of multiple wildfires in December 2017. The approved zip codes were: 91342, 91040, 91042, 91355, 91381, 91384, and 90077 (Los Angeles County) and 92028, 92003, 92084, and 92057 (San Diego County). CDSS accepted D-SNAP applications in Los Angeles County for 7 non-consecutive days, beginning Feb. 13 through Feb. 16, 2018, then resumed on Feb. 20, and ended on Feb. 22, 2018. CDSS accepted D-SNAP applications in San Diego County for 5 days, beginning Feb. 12, through Feb. 16, 2018. The State agency may have automatically issued a 1-month disaster supplement to all ongoing SNAP households in the 11 approved zip codes. Ongoing households that lived or worked outside of these 11 zip codes may have requested disaster supplements on an individual basis via a signed affidavit attesting to their disaster losses. Ongoing SNAP households already receiving the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for their household size were not eligible for disaster supplements. No household may receive more than the maximum monthly allotment for their household size.
  • On Feb. 1, 2018, FNS approved the California Department of Social Services' (CDSS) request to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties due to the combined impact of multiple wildfires in December 2017 and mudslides in January 2018. CDSS accepted D-SNAP applications in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties for 7 non-consecutive days, beginning Feb. 6 through Feb. 9, then resumed on Feb. 12, and ended on Feb. 14, 2018. CDSS accepts applications at 7 CDSS offices in the approved counties. The State agency may have automatically issued a 1-month disaster supplement to all ongoing SNAP households in the following 20 zip codes that experienced either a power outage of more than 4 hours, mandatory evacuations, or both:
    -- Santa Barbara: 93102, 93105, 93108, 93110, 93111, 93067, 93103, 93117
    -- Ventura: 93001, 93003, 93004, 93012, 93013, 93015, 93022, 93023, 93033, 93035, 93041, 93060
  • On Dec. 21, 2017, FNS approved California’s request to issue SNAP mass replacement benefits for certain zip codes in Ventura County. This waiver approval allowed the California Department of Social Services to automatically replace 60 percent of the December 2017 SNAP benefit for households affected by the wildfires in the following zip codes in Ventura County: 93001, 93004, 93012, 93022, 93033, 93035, and 93041. These replacement benefits allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the fires. On Dec. 22, 2017, FNS approved an amendment to California’s request for mass replacement of SNAP benefits at 60 percent, in San Diego County, for the following zip codes: 91905, 91916, 91963, 91980, 92036, 92066, 92070, 92086.
  • 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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