USDA Announces Approval of D-SNAP for West Virginia Disaster Areas

WASHINGTON, Mar. 13, 2src25 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from recent severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Nearly 3,srcsrcsrc households in four counties in West Virginia 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 West Virginians as they grapple with the aftermath of recent storms and its impacts,” said Agriculture Secretary 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.”

West Virginia will operate its in-person D-SNAP application beginning March 17, 2src25, through March 21, 2src25. Eligible counties include McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, and Wyoming. West Virginia 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 West Virginia SNAP, visit West Virginia’s Department of Human Services. For more information about this and other available aid, callers from West Virginia can dial 2-1-1.

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 in the identified areas are not eligible for D-SNAP, they may request supplemental SNAP benefits to raise their allotment to the maximum amount for their household size for one month if they don’t already receive that amount.

Other USDA Resources and Support

Staff across USDA are working with West Virginia, 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.

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