PRESS RELEASE

Department of Social Services News Update
DSS, USDA Extend Applications For Disaster Food Stamps
BATON ROUGE (September 10, 2008) - The Louisiana Department of Social Services (DSS) will continue accepting applications for Disaster Food Stamps through Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. DSS Secretary Ann Silverberg Williamson announced the seven-day extension today after it was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Disaster Food Stamp program was previously scheduled to close on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Secretary Williamson reiterated her call for the federal government to waive the face-to-face interview requirement for Disaster Food Stamp applicants.

"We believe that people living in federally declared disaster areas should be able to apply on-line or over the phone in order to avoid the long lines," Williamson said.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, Secretary Williamson is scheduled to meet with USDA Food and Nutrition Services Undersecretary Nancy Montanez Johner to discuss the requested waiver.

DSS employees processed 48,104 Disaster Food Stamp applications today from the 31 eligible parishes. That is a total of 78,394 for the two days.

Here is a breakdown of today's numbers:

Applications processed
9/10/2008

Region 1 - Orleans 10,000
Region 2 - Baton Rouge 9,405
Region 3 - Covington 5,936
Region 4 - Thibodaux 5,000
Region 5 - Lafayette 12,608
Region 6 - Lake Charles 1,290
Region 7 - Alexandria 3,798
Region 8 - Shreveport 29
Region 9 - Monroe 38
TOTAL 48,104
(Applications processed are estimates
based on hand counts)

DSS made substantial progress on Wednesday to increase capacity with the opening of four new application sites:

Capitol High School at 1000 North 23rd Street in Baton Rouge
Kirshman's at 115 Armour Drive in Houma
151 Peltier Park in Thibodaux
Christian Fellowship at 5816 East Judge Perez in Violet

The site in Port Sulphur has been closed due to flooding caused by Hurricane Ike. Click here for an updated list of application sites.

Louisiana's Unified Command will continue to ensure that all sites have full security, and succeeded today in providing more water to applicants.

Also on Wednesday, DSS trained an additional 251 staff to be deployed in the new locations to supplement staff in high-volume areas like New Orleans, Jefferson, Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

In order to help the elderly, Council on Aging staff have been trained to administer Disaster Food Stamps. People 60 years of age or older should contact their local parish Councils on Aging for the nearest Disaster Food Stamp Assistance Application Site for seniors. If the local Council on Aging is not available, seniors should contact the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs at 1-877-340-9100.

DSS Secretary Williamson emphasized that the Disaster Food Stamps program has strictly defined income eligibility and can only be used for the purchase of food, and reminded participants in the regular Food Stamp Program that they do not need to apply. Their benefits will automatically be lifted to the maximum amount allowable for September and their August benefits have been increased by 20 percent in order to replace lost food.

For the latest information on hurricanes Gustav and Ike, visit emergency.louisiana.gov.

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