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Florida Department of Children and Families Requests Swift Approval of Innovative Approach to Disaster SNAP Benefits for Families

10/7/2022

Florida Department of Children and Families Requests Swift Approval of Innovative Approach to Disaster SNAP Benefits for Families

Today, Department of Children and Families (Department) Secretary Shevaun Harris called on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve Florida's application for Disaster-SNAP (D-SNAP) benefits. The Department has included in its request innovative strategies that will allow efficient and expedited delivery of benefits to those in need.

The Department’s request includes:

  1. Serving the hardest hit counties first. By operating a telephonic application the Department will be able to serve those with the greatest needs first. Floridians will be able to complete the D-SNAP application with a phone call, instead of having to show in person, expediting the process and quickly putting food assistance benefits in the hands of those in need.
  2. Hiring on additional call center staff to help solely with the D-SNAP process. By hiring a call center to help with the intake and application process the Department will be able to keep current staff focused on the day-to-day benefits operations, ensuring that there is no disruption to our current processing of benefits. 
  3. DCF has requested approval for existing SNAP participants to receive the maximum benefit for their household size. Once granted, existing SNAP participants will receive the difference between their normal monthly benefit amount and the maximum amount allowable.

Secretary Harris said, “This community has gone through so much in the past week, and our Department is working to ensure that we offer families all the supports possible. The Department was very deliberative in ensuring the strategies deployed would reduce barriers to families accessing support and would ensure we could disburse benefits quickly to families. We are asking for swift approval so that we can move forward with getting this resource into the hands of families who need it.”

D-SNAP helps families who suffered losses or damage during a natural disaster by providing nutrition assistance. All requests are currently awaiting approval from the USDA.

Updated: Friday, October 7, 2022
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Florida Division of Emergency Management

2555 Shumard Oak Blvd. Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

Phone: 850-815-4000

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Weather Outlook

Friday, November 22, 2024

...Mostly Sunny and Dry Conditions Expected Statewide With A Cool and Dry Area of High Pressure Building In...Breezy Winds With Gusts Upwards of 15-25 MPH Persist Across the State...Elevated Risk for Fire Weather Across the North-Central Peninsula Today; Sensitive to Elevated Wildfire Conditions Expected Across Portions of North and Central Florida With Locally Sensitive Wildfire Conditions Elsewhere As Relative Humidity Values Fall Near or Below Critical Thresholds...Elevated Winds To Cause Temperatures to Feel Like They Are In The Low to Middle 30s Across North Florida Overnight Into Early Saturday Morning...Frost Advisories Issued Along the Western Panhandle Diminishing Winds Will Allow For Areas of Frost Across North Florida Overnight Into Early Saturday Morning; Additional Frost Advisories Will Likely Be Issued Later Today...Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents and Hazardous Beach and Boating Conditions Persist Statewide...Minor Saltwater Flooding Continues Along the Upper and Middle Keys...

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