US Dept of Agriculture, Food Programs for Disaster Response

See website for details on responses to specific disasters.

General info from the website:

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) coordinates with State, local and voluntary organizations to:

- Provide food for shelters and other mass feeding sites.
- Distribute food packages directly to households in need in limited situations.
- Issue emergency SNAP benefits.

As part of the National Response Plan, FNS supplies food to disaster relief organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for mass feeding or household distribution. State agencies notify USDA of the types and quantities of food that relief organizations need for emergency feeding operations. FNS also authorizes States to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

Emergency Food Assistance

- Every State and U.S. territory stores commodity foods in warehouses for use in USDA sponsored food programs such as the National School Lunch Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
- Under the Federal Emergency Response Plan, FNS provides foods to disaster relief agencies to feed people at shelters and mass feeding sites. States can also, with FNS approval, release these foods to disaster relief agencies to distribute directly to households that are in need as a result of an emergency. Such direct distribution takes place when normal commercial food supply channels such as grocery stores have been disrupted, damaged or destroyed, or are unable to function.

Emergency SNAP

- FNS can authorize the issuance of emergency SNAP benefits when the President declares a major disaster. States must request that FNS allow them to issue emergency benefits in areas affected by a disaster. FNS works closely with States to prepare plans for the Disaster SNAP Program.
- People who might not ordinarily qualify for SNAP benefits may be eligible under the disaster SNAP if they had expenses related to protecting, repairing, or evacuating their homes; or if they have lost income as a result of the disaster.
- People who are already participating in SNAP may be eligible for additional benefits under the disaster SNAP program.
- Disaster benefits are provided like regular program benefits – through a debit card that can be used at authorized food retailers to buy food. These systems are commonly referred to as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems.

Contact Information

For complete information, visit www.fns.usda.gov/disasters/disaster.htm or http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov/fsa.asp. View specific State agency listings under “State emergency food assistance contacts.