PRESS RELEASE

DSS Releases Updated Disaster Food Stamp Application Sites

BATON ROUGE (September 9, 2008) - The Department of Social Services released an updated list of the application sites where residents in 31 eligible parishes can go to apply for Disaster Food Stamps. Lines are long and in order to ensure that people are not standing in the heat unnecessarily; in some parishes applicants are being asked to return tomorrow. This process will last for seven consecutive days.

The parishes declared eligible for Disaster Food Stamps are: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

The Bossier, Caddo and Ouachita Office of Family Support locations are able to assist dislocated citizens from the above parishes.

Participants in the regular food stamps program do not need to wait in line to apply; their benefits will automatically be lifted to the maximum amount allowable for September and their August benefits have been increased by 20% in order to replace lost food.

Click here for a list of confirmed locations. With widespread power outages and preparation for Ike, these locations are subject to change so applicants are advised to call 1-888-524-3578 and press option 3 or visit http://www.dss.state.la.us/ before going to a site.

For the latest information on Hurricane Gustav, you can visit emergency.louisiana.gov or call the state's emergency hotline at 1-866-288-2484 to listen to a recorded message with the most up-to-date information.

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