DHS Announces Five More D-SNAP Counties

September 17, 2020

DHS Announces Disaster for Five More Counties

(Des Moines, Iowa) –The Department of Human Services (DHS) announces that residents of Benton, Cedar, Marshall, Scott and Tama Counties may be eligible to receive Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Those who were impacted by the derecho and subsequent power outages due to the August 10 storm can apply for benefits in person during their county’s application period listed below. DHS recently distributed over $2.5 million dollars in D-SNAP benefits to Linn County residents and are currently operating five sites to distribute benefits in Central Iowa.

Those who are eligible to receive D-SNAP benefits will receive food dollars on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card that is equivalent to the maximum allotment of Food Assistance benefits for their household size.

Households who have already received Food Assistance/SNAP benefits in August or September 2020 are not eligible for D-SNAP because maximum allotments were already issued for those households due to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency. D-SNAP eligibility differs from Food Assistance, so households should review the eligibility criteria for application.

You are eligible if you have suffered at least one of the following disaster-related expenses:

  • Destroyed or spoiled food
  • Lost or no access to income due to the disaster, including reduced, terminated or delayed receipt of income
  • Home or business repairs
  • Temporary shelter expenses
  • Evacuation or relocation expenses
  • Home or business protection
  • Disaster-related personal injury

Due to COVID-19 precautions, and in order to expedite the distribution process, DHS has set up accessible sites in each county where applications will be processed and cards distributed. Applicants must apply in person to receive D-SNAP benefits. Sites will reserve the first hour of operation to process applications for the elderly and individuals with disabilities. Applicants should not arrive more than one hour earlier than the posted start time. Residents of Marshall and Scott County can apply for D-SNAP benefits from Tuesday, September 22 through Sunday, September 27. Residents of Benton, Cedar and Tama Counties can apply for D-SNAP benefits from Tuesday, September 22, through Saturday, September 26. Operating hours vary by site location and day, all details are listed below.

9/22-9/26 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and 9/27 from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

  • Marshall: DHS Office 206 W State Street, Marshalltown, IA 50158
  • Scott: Scott County Fairgrounds, The Fair Center, 2815 Locust Street, Davenport, IA 52804

9/22 –9/26 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

  • Benton: DHS Office, 811 D Avenue, Suite 20, Vinton, IA 52349
  • Cedar: Cedar County Fairgrounds Matthews Building, 1195 210th Street, Tipton, IA 52772
  • Tama:
    • Iowa Girls Juvenile Home Administrative Office, 701 South Church Street, Toledo, IA 52342
    • Meskwaki Tribal Center 349 Meskwaki Road Tama, IA 52339

To keep wait times to a minimum, DHS is asking applicants to apply at the site in their county of residence and to follow the schedule below based on the first letter of last names. However, persons may apply at any time during their county’s D-SNAP application period.

The Marshalltown site will offer handicapped only parking on site. During normal transit hours (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) from September 22 through September 25, 2020, the Marshalltown Transit Authority will transport passengers to and from the DHS office free of charge. To access this service, applicants should park along any bus route and notify the bus driver that they are travelling to the DHS Office.

Date Alphabetic breakdown
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 A – D
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 E – I
Thursday, September 24, 2020 J – O
Friday, September 25, 2020 P – S
Saturday, September 26, 2020 T – Z
Sunday, September 27, 2020

(Marshall and Scott County Only)

All Last Names

 

Applicants will be asked to provide information about their household, the money coming into the home during the 30-day disaster period, and out-of-pocket expenses paid as the result of the August 10 storm. Applicants need to provide proof of identification and are encouraged to bring something showing their address in one of the eligible counties. Each site will have access to Language Line, which can provide tele-translation services for applicants. All applications will be provided in English, and Spanish.

D-SNAP benefits can be used for food purchases at any SNAP-authorized retailer, including farmers markets and certain online retailers. For a complete list of authorized retailers, please see the USDA SNAP retailer locator.

Information for D-SNAP in additional counties will be announced as details are confirmed. For more information about the program, including where D-SNAP benefits can be used, please visit our website for detailed information on each county’s D-SNAP sites.

###

Program contact:
877-347-5678

Media contact:

Matt Highland

[email protected]