When a major disaster strikes, the state of Texas may request to issue Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) must approve the state’s request to operate D-SNAP.

For the state to offer the program, the President must declare Individual Assistance for the disaster area. Local grocery stores must also be open and operating.

Once FNS approves the program, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) sets a limited period for you to apply for D-SNAP. 

You may qualify for D-SNAP benefits if you meet the conditions below:

• You do not get regular SNAP benefits. Current SNAP households may qualify for supplemental disaster or replacement benefits.
• You were living in the declared disaster area at the time of the disaster.
• You have at least one of the disaster-related effects or expenses below:
  • Lost or no access to income.
  • Home or business repairs.
  • Temporary shelter or evacuation expenses.
  • Home or business protection expenses.
  • Cost to replace personal or household items.
  • Clean-up expenses.
  • Personal injury, including funeral expenses.

We base your eligibility on your “disaster gross income” or, simply, your disaster income. When you apply for D-SNAP, a caseworker calculates your disaster income. They add your take-home pay, unearned income (like Social Security payments), and liquid resources (like bank accounts and cash on hand), and subtract your unreimbursed disaster-related expenses.

The maximum disaster income limits are set each year at the federal level based on household size. Texas also adds a standard disaster-related expense deduction to the federal limits. With this, you may qualify even if your income is above the federal limits.

To see the current limits by household sizes visit FNS’s D-SNAP Resources for State Agencies and Partners page. Look for the “D-SNAP Allotments and Eligibility Standards” section.

To find out more about benefits and how to apply, see the contact information below. If you qualify for D-SNAP, you get benefits for one month on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The EBT works like a debit card at most grocery stores.