Hickory Metro Counties will offer a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to help non-SNAP recipients who lost food during Hurricane Helene. DSS is working in coordination with the NC Department of Health & Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture. Current SNAP recipients are not eligible.
Residents in the following 25 counties may apply for D-SNAP: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) received federal approval to begin phase one of the D-SNAP program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture beginning Oct. 18, 2024. People can start applying for assistance three days before the program starts during online pre-registration beginning Oct. 15 and will have seven days from the start of the program to apply. The application period will close Oct. 24, 2024.
Eligibility is based on household size and net income. To be eligible, applicants must have suffered losses/damages related to Hurricane Helene, such as damage to property or loss of income; have proof of identity and proof of residency; and not currently receive Food and Nutrition Services benefits. Eligible applicants will receive an EBT card on-site and will have benefits loaded on the card within three days of the application date.
Eligible households may also apply by phone by calling the D-SNAP Virtual Call Center at 1-844-453-1117 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturday and Sunday.
Pre-registration is available beginning October 15 by using the ePASS tool at https://epass.nc.gov. Once the online pre-registration is completed, applicants will be issued a confirmation number and will receive a call later to complete the registration with an interview over the phone. For more information, please contact Trena Riddle at 828-352-7672.