USDA announces approval of disaster snap benefits for California Disaster Areas

WASHINGTON (KION-TV): UPDATE ON APRIL 13, 2023 AT 5:40 PM- On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that low-income California residents in seven counties will be eligible for disaster snap benefits as a result of the winter storms.

Those counties that are eligible for disaster benefits include Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement that approximately 4,000 households that may not normally be eligible under regular SNAP benefits will now qualify for the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

"As California residents recover from the severe storms and its aftermath, this approval of D-SNAP is vital in ensuring they get the food they need,” Vilsack said.

To be eligible for the disaster snap program, 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.

Households that are eligible will receive one month of benefits and equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size.

Eligible applicants will be able to use those benefits at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online.

California will operate it's D-SNAP application process for seven non-consecutive days starting on April 17 and run through Tuesday April 25, 2023.

The USDA said that before operating a D-SNAP that a state must ensure that proper public information, staffing and resources are in place.

This comes as the USDA recently announced that counties in California will allow hot foods to be bought with SNAP benefits until May 2nd.

Governor Newsom says help is on the way for families in Pajaro

Families in Pajaro look for answers as they continue to search for help after the flooding forced them out of their homes early Saturday.

Governor Gavin Newsom toured the devastation in Pajaro Wednesday. The Governor said $42 million is on the way in the form of $600 checks to farmworkers impacted by the storms.

A woman who didn't want to be identified said she applied to FEMA for help, but didn't qualify.

"I applied to FEMA and they told me there is no help for us but didn't tell me why." said the woman.

Governor Newsom said today the United Way secured funding through the USDA to help farmworker families. Including those impacted by the flooding in Pajaro.

"They're starting to toss out $600 checks for farmworkers regardless of their immigration status," said Governor Gavin Newsom. "They're working with the United Way in Santa Cruz, Monterey counties, and other impacted communities... 42 million is not enough."

People in the state can apply, however, the United Way of Monterey County said it will take time before people in the county will see their checks.

Monterey County said thousands of acres of farms are damaged because of the storm and farmworkers will be without work.

Governor Newsom said the state's priority is to fix the levee so this disastrous flooding doesn't happen again.

"Some of which needs to be funded by the state and the rest locally," said Governor Newsom. "This project itself is worth 397 million and that was before the breach."

The county said it's unknown when the water will recede in the town of Pajaro.

The governor said strengthening the levee could take up to 5 to 7 years. He said he plans to speed up the progress as soon as possible.