FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 4, 2004
CONTACT: Bill Spann (850) 488-4855
Disaster Food Stamp Program Approved for Hurricane Jeanne
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Children & Families, in
partnership with the USDA, has received approval to conduct additional Disaster
Food Stamp (DFS) operations in Florida counties affected by Hurricane Jeanne.
Residents who suffered Jeanne-related losses in Brevard, Indian River,
Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties may apply for benefits at
local DFS sites from today through Saturday. These sites are already active and
accepting applications for those affected by Hurricane Frances.
Beginning Tuesday October 12, 2004 and continuing through Saturday October
16, 2004, eligible Jeanne victims in Polk, Highlands, Glades, Hendry and
Seminole may apply for DFS benefits.
“We appreciate the USDA’s quick response to our request,” DCF Interim
Secretary Hadi said. “These benefits bring much-needed relief to Floridians who,
in turn, put the funds directly back into their local economies.”
As of October 4, DCF has provided 227,248 Floridians with $34,943,126 in
hurricane relief disaster food stamp benefits to victims throughout the state.
An additional 30,000 applications have been taken and are being processed.
To qualify for Disaster Food Stamps, applicants must have experienced damage
to their home or self-employment property or must have had a loss of income as a
result of the storms. Applicants must also be income eligible as defined by
having net income less than the Disaster Food Stamp Program limit.
Benefits are based on family size. One person is eligible for $141 in relief.
A family of four is eligible for $471 in benefits. The following table applies:
| Household Size Allotment |
Disaster Food Stamp Gross Income Limit |
Maximum |
| 1 |
1,261 |
141 |
| 2 |
1,522 |
259 |
| 3 |
1,784 |
371 |
| 4 |
2,046 |
471 |
| 5 |
2,322 |
560 |
| 6 |
2,606 |
672 |
| 7 |
2,868 |
743 |
| 8 |
3,129 |
849 |
| Each Additional Member |
+262 |
+106 |
Persons who currently receive benefits in the regular Food Stamp Program are
not eligible for Disaster Food Stamp benefits.
For more information on the Disaster Food Stamp Program, including specific
dates, times and locations in your area, please call your local DCF office or
1-800-342-9274. Callers may also get a wealth of information on public
assistance -- including the address and phone number of their local DCF office
-- at www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess.
In other hurricane-related relief developments, Department officials last
week engineered an early release of more than $121 million in regular monthly
food stamp and temporary cash assistance benefits to more than 1.3 million
Floridians. This is the second consecutive month DCF has performed an early
release of benefits for a total amount in excess of $218 million.
Additionally, during August and September, DCF has re-issued or supplemented
more than $63 million in food stamp benefits so hurricane victims could replace
food lost during storm-related power losses.
Those Floridians had already received and spent most or all of their monthly
assistance benefits when the storms hit and destroyed their food supplies.
These storm victims received a second monthly allotment on their EBT cards
allowing them to buy additional food for the months of August and September.
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Hurricane News
2012 State of Florida