The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says six more counties and a tribe may now eligible for food assistance through the D-SNAP program. Applications must be completed before Monday, April 15 at one of several locations in the affected areas.
The eligible counties, which were impacted by highly destructive flooding, are:
- Boone County
- Custer County
- Richardson County
- Buffalo County
- Knox County
- Thurston County
Individuals in the Santee Sioux Nation may also be eligible.
They say eligibility is based on "available income, minus unreimbursed disaster related expenses. All resources except cash on hand and in bank accounts will be excluded from the eligibility determination." You must also have suffered one of the following disaster-related expenses:
- Home or business repairs
- Temporary shelter expenses
- Evacuation or relocation expenses
- Home or business protection
- Disaster-related personal injury, including funeral expenses
- Lost or no access to income due to the disaster, including reduced, terminated or delayed receipt of income, for a large part of the benefit period
- In some cases, food loss after a disaster, like flooding or power outages
You can read the full DHHS release below for more information:
Residents of six more Nebraska counties and the Santee Sioux Nation, impacted by high water and power outages due to the recent floods, may be eligible for individual assistance, including Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP). The United States Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services have approved the D-SNAP for affected, qualified individuals in the Santee Sioux Nation and the following counties:
- Boone County
- Custer County
- Richardson County
- Buffalo County
- Knox County
- Thurston County
D-SNAP uses different qualifying rules than regular SNAP. If you would not normally qualify for SNAP, based on income, you may qualify for D-SNAP if you have suffered one or more of the following disaster-related expenses:
- Home or business repairs
- Temporary shelter expenses
- Evacuation or relocation expenses
- Home or business protection
- Disaster-related personal injury, including funeral expenses
- Lost or no access to income due to the disaster, including reduced, terminated or delayed receipt of income, for a large part of the benefit period
- In some cases, food loss after a disaster, like flooding or power outages
Special Income Limits For Disaster SNAP | ||
Household Size | Disaster Gross Monthly Income Limit | Maximum Allotment |
1 | $1,728 | $192 |
2 | $2,088 | $353 |
3 | $2,448 | $505 |
4 | $2,818 | $642 |
5 | $3,208 | $762 |
6 | $3,598 | $914 |
7 | $3,958 | $1,011 |
8 | $4,318 | $1,155 |
Each Additional Member | +$360 | +$144 |
DHHS officials will determine eligibility based on available income, minus unreimbursed disaster related expenses. All resources except cash on hand and in bank accounts will be excluded from the eligibility determination.
If approved for D-SNAP, the benefits will be provided on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card within three days of approval. EBT cards are used like debit cards to buy food at most local grocery stores.
Applicants must visit a DHHS assistance site for in-person verifications and to receive an EBT card. A driver’s license or another form of identification from the head of household must be provided. The application process may be started at theACCESSNebraska website [icm-tracking.meltwater.com]. Fill out an application and submit it or print the completed application and take it to an assistance site.
Applications for D-SNAP benefits must be made on or before Monday, April 15 at one of the locations listed below. Daily hours of operation at each location will be weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
| Albion | Albion Public Library | 437 S. 3rd Street, Albion |
| Broken Bow | DHHS Local Office | 2475 S. E Street, Broken Bow |
| Falls City | DHHS Local Office (Street/lower level tunnel entrance) | 1700 Stone Street, Falls City |
| Gibbon | Faith United Church | 203 Garfield Street, Gibbon |
| Niobrara | Niobrara Rural Fire District | 259 Spruce Avenue, Niobrara |
| Pender | DHHS Local Office | 415 Maine Street, Pender |
Current SNAP Recipients
Current SNAP recipients DO NOT need to go through the application process to receive assistance. Those in Boone County, Buffalo County ZIP codes 68840, 68866, 68876, Custer County ZIP codes 68813, 68822, Knox County ZIP codes 68718, 68783, Richardson County ZIP code 68431 and Thurston County ZIP codes 68039, 68047 will automatically receive a supplemental benefit, if not already receiving the maximum amount for their household size. SNAP recipients who lived or worked in other areas of the listed counties may request disaster replacement and supplements by contacting DHHS to attest to their disaster losses by April 15.
Assistance will also be available at the above listed locations to apply for other DHHS administered programs, such as Medicaid, Aid to Dependent Children, Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled, Respite, Child Care Provider Natural Disaster Recovery and Emergency Assistance.
Disaster SNAP was also offered to affected residents of Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Nemaha, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington counties after those counties were also designated for FEMA Individual Assistance.
FEMA is continuing to review counties for eligibility for individual assistance and they will be added as they qualify. DHHS will provide updates should additional counties become eligible.
For more on this and other disaster related information from DHHS like and follow us on Facebook [icm-tracking.meltwater.com] and Twitter [icm-tracking.meltwater.com].
HUD ANNOUNCES DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR NEBRASKA STORM VICTIMS
Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced it will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Nebraska and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes in areas affected by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, and flooding.
On March 21st, President Trump issued a major disaster declaration [whitehouse.gov] for Boone, Buffalo, Butler, Cass, Colfax, Custer, Dodge, Douglas, Knox, Nemaha, Richardson, Santee Indian Reservation, Sarpy, Saunders, Thurston, and Washington counties.
The President’s declaration allows HUD to offer foreclosure relief and other assistance to certain families living in these counties. HUD is:
- Providing immediate foreclosure relief [portal.hud.gov] – HUD’s automatic 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured home mortgages commenced for the Nebraska counties covered under yesterday’s Presidential declaration on the date of the declaration. For assistance, call your loan servicer or FHA’s Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320;
- Making mortgage insurance available [portal.hud.gov] – HUD's Section 203(h) program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims whose homes were destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or replacement is necessary and are facing the daunting task of rebuilding or buying another home. Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs;
- Making insurance available for both mortgages and home rehabilitation [portal.hud.gov] – HUD's Section 203(k) loan program enables those who have lost their homes to finance the purchase or refinance of a house along with its repair through a single mortgage. It also allows homeowners who have damaged houses to finance the rehabilitation of their existing single-family home; and
- Making information on housing providers and HUD programs available – The Department will share information with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State on housing providers that may have available units in the impacted counties. This includes Public Housing Agencies and Multi-Family owners. The Department will also connect FEMA and the State to subject matter experts to provide information on HUD programs and providers.
