Press Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that people recovering from the impact of recent wildfires and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

Approximately 81,477 households in 28 zip codes in Los Angeles County are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.

California will operate its virtual and in-person D-SNAP application from Feb. 10, 2025, through Feb. 18, 2025.

Eligible zip codes in Los Angeles County include: 90049, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91006, 91008, 91010, 91011, 91016, 91020, 91024, 91101, 91103, 91104, 91105, 91107, 91206, 91208, 91214, 91301, 91302, 91321, 91342, 91344, 91750, 93510. California 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 California SNAP, visit California’s Department of Social Services. For more information about this and other available aid, callers from California can dial 2-1-1.

The D-SNAP announcement today is the latest in a series of USDA actions taken to help California residents cope with recent wildfires and their 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 seven counties (Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura) through Feb. 8, 2025.
• Approving waivers for the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits lost due to power outages in the affected areas.
• Approving waivers that provide operational flexibilities in multiple nutrition programs, including the Child Care Food Program, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Seamless Summer Option.

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 California to automatically issue supplemental SNAP benefits to current SNAP households in the nine zip codes (90265, 90290, 91008, 91016, 91024, 91301, 91302, 91750, and 93510) to bring their allotment up to the maximum amount for their household size if they don’t already receive that amount. SNAP households in the remaining 19 zip codes may request supplemental benefits from their state SNAP agency.