For SNAP customers:

Georgia residents who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in September can report food lost due to power outages related to Hurricane Helene.  

To request replacement benefits, eligible SNAP recipients must report the loss of food to the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) and complete a Food Loss Replacement Form (Form 841) verifying the amount of food loss. Customers who were affected have 10 days from the date of the food loss occurrence to request a replacement for food lost during storm-related power outages that lasted four hours or more. 

On October 4, 2024, Georgia was approved for a waiver that provides additional time for SNAP recipients residing in the affected disaster areas to report a food loss as a result of Hurricane Helene to their local DFCS office through October 25, 2024. SNAP recipients can file forms requesting a replacement of food lost due to storm-related power outages and must have been without power for four or more hours to qualify. The waiver applies to SNAP customers residing in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox, and Wilkes counties. 

Georgia Department of Human Services’ DFCS is has applied for a waiver with Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to allow participants to temporarily use their benefits to purchase hot food, including food prepared for immediate consumption, from authorized USDA retailers using their EBT card. This ensures SNAP families who are not able to prepare food at home due to displacement or power outages can still access warm meals. SNAP participants statewide will be able to purchase hot food using their SNAP benefits through Nov. 7, 2024, and do not have to apply for the benefit. SNAP customers can use this map to find retailers across the state that accept EBT. Read more about the Hot Foods Waiver here. 

DFCS has applied for a waiver with FNS to allow SNAP customers in the following counties impacted by Hurricane Helene to receive 75 percent replacement of benefits on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards due to power outages as a result of the hurricane: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox, and Wilkes counties.

USDA approved Georgia to allow current SNAP recipients in 57 counties to receive 75 percent of their total monthly September benefit back on their EBT card. The benefit replacement is automatic and does not require action from the SNAP recipient. This impacts more than 157,000 people in Georgia and totals more than $59 million in replacement benefits. Read more about Automated Mass Replacements here.