DSS Announces Second Phase of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) In-Person Events for Specific Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DSS Office of Communications & External Affairs
803-898-7602
DSS Announces Second Phase of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) In-Person Events for Specific Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene
November 26, 2024- As of November 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the following counties for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) Assistance as a result of Hurricane Helene: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York.
Households that resided within one of the designated counties at the time of Hurricane Helene AND suffered unreimbursed disaster losses may be eligible to receive a DSNAP benefit. Food loss alone is not a qualifying factor for DSNAP assistance.
Non-SNAP residents in the affected counties who are seeking assistance and were unable to pre-register and complete a telephone interview between November 12th and November 21st may apply in-person according to the schedule below.
Each in-person event will run for three (3) days. Individuals can only apply for DSNAP at the designated location in their county of residence.
Beginning Sunday, December 1st, residents of Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Hampton, Laurens, McCormick, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York counties may pre-register for DSNAP online, at https://benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov/ and visit the DSNAP site in their county of residence between Monday, December 2nd and Friday, December 6th to complete an eligibility interview.
Beginning Sunday, December 8th, residents of Abbeville, Aiken, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Jasper, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, and Richland counties may pre-register for DSNAP online, at https://benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov/ and visit the DSNAP site in their county of residence between Monday, December 9th and Friday, December 13th to complete an eligibility interview.
Households who applied for DSNAP between November 11th and November 21st and were denied after a telephone interview are not eligible to re-apply. If you do not agree with the decision made on your DSNAP application, you may request a fair hearing by calling 1-800-311-7220 or writing to your local county DSS office.
Interviews cannot be completed at your local county DSS office. Calling or visiting your local DSS office will not expedite the application process for DSNAP.
Applicants must have suffered a loss directly related to Hurricane Helene to be eligible for DSNAP benefits. Households applying for Disaster SNAP must have lived in the disaster area on September 27, 2024, and must have suffered loss or damages, such as:
- Damage to or destruction of the home.
- Loss or inaccessibility of income including a reduction or termination of income or a significant delay in receiving income due to disaster related problems.
- Disaster-related expenses (home or business repairs, temporary shelter, evacuation, etc.) that are not expected to be reimbursed during the disaster benefit period.
Individuals applying for DSNAP in-person should be prepared to provide the following:
- Proof of Identity
- Proof of Address
- Proof of Income
- Proof of the value of unreimbursed damages incurred as a direct result of the storms
- Proof of loss or inaccessibility of income
All DSNAP applications are subject to review. If it is determined that an applicant received benefits that he/she was not entitled to, the applicant will be required to pay them back.
Per federal rules and guidelines, current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP. Current SNAP recipients who reside in a county approved for DSNAP and received SNAP during the month of October 2024 may be eligible for a disaster supplement if their monthly SNAP benefit is less than the maximum monthly allotment for their household size.
This disaster supplement was already issued to current SNAP recipients residing in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York counties who qualify.
Current SNAP recipients residing in Kershaw County who meet all of the criteria listed below may go to the designated DSNAP site in Kershaw County between December 11th and 13th and file an Affidavit of Loss to request a supplement of their October SNAP benefits:
- Received SNAP in October 2024;
- Receive a monthly benefit that is less than the maximum monthly allotment for their household size; and
- Suffered a disaster loss.
DSNAP Onsite Events Schedule:
Monday, December 2nd through Wednesday, December 4th All Locations are 8AM – 5PM |
|
County |
Site Location/Address |
Anderson |
Iconic Event Center 3131 N. Main Street Anderson, SC 29625 |
Cherokee |
Old Cherokee DSS Office 1434 N. Limestone Street Gaffney, SC 29340 |
Laurens |
Laurens County Piedmont Technical College 663 Medical Ridge Road Clinton, SC 29325 |
McCormick |
Talmadge Center 1319 S Main Street McCormick, SC 29835 |
Saluda |
Radius Church 100 Main Street Saluda, SC 29138 |
Union |
Union County Recreation Department 111 Thomas Street Union, SC 29379 |
Wednesday, December 4th through Friday, December 6th All Locations are 8AM – 5PM |
|
County |
Site Location/Address |
Allendale |
Brandt Building 398 Barnwell Highway Allendale, SC 29810 |
Bamberg |
Bamberg Civic Center 2477 Main Hwy Bamberg, SC 29003 |
Barnwell |
Blackville Community Center 19464 Solomon Blatt Ave N Blackville, SC 29817 |
Beaufort |
Burton Well Recreation Center 1 Middleton Recreation Drive Beaufort, SC 29906 |
Hampton |
Huspah Missionary Baptist Church 729 Magnolia Street West Hampton, SC 29924 |
Spartanburg |
Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center 650 Howard Street Spartanburg, SC 29303 |
York |
First Baptist Church 481 Hood Center Drive Rock Hill, South Carolina 29730 |
Monday, December 9th through Wednesday, December 11th All Locations are 8AM – 5PM |
|
County |
Site Location/Address |
Abbeville |
Abbeville Civic Center 404 N. Main Street Abbeville, SC 29620 |
Aiken |
Western Carolina State Fairground 561 May Royal Drive, Hwy 495 Aiken, SC 29801 |
Chester |
Mount Olive Baptist Church 176 Center Street Chester, SC 29706 |
Greenwood |
Greenwood YMCA 1760 Calhoun Road Greenwood, SC 29649 |
Jasper |
Mount Carmel Baptist Center 3763 Bees Creek Road Ridgeland, SC 29936 |
Newberry |
Prosperity Rikard Civic Center 250 School Drive Prosperity, SC 291127 |
Oconee |
Old Seneca Middle School 810 W. South 4th Street Seneca, SC 29678 |
Orangeburg |
Edisto Fork United Methodist Church 356 Lariot Road Orangeburg, SC 29115 |
Pickens |
East Pickens Baptist Church 2244 Gentry Memorial Hwy Pickens, SC 29671 |
Wednesday, December 11th through Friday, December 13th All Locations are 8AM – 5PM |
|
County |
Site Location/Address |
Edgefield |
American Legion Hall 314 Penn Street Edgefield, SC 29824 |
Fairfield |
Blackjack Baptist Church 178 State Road Winnsboro, SC 29180 |
Greenville |
TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive Greenville, SC 29607 |
Kershaw |
Kershaw Cnty Recreation Facility – City Arena 420 Broad Street Camden, SC 29020 |
Lexington |
Lexington County DSS Office 1070 S. Lake Drive Lexington, SC 29073 |
Richland |
The Meeting Place Conference Ctr 201 Columbia Mall Blvd. Columbia, SC 29223 |
# # #