Disaster Related Emergency Assistance
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Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits are now available to qaulifying households who lived or worked in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties that experienced loss as a result of Hurricane Helene. D-SNAP benefits are provided through an electronic debit-like card and can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers who accept electronic benefit transfer (EBT). These cards will be mailed to qualifying households following approval.
D-SNAP applicants must meet income limits and will receive benefits determined by USDA Food and Nutrition Services guidance. Each applying household’s monthly take-home income and accessible liquid resources during the disaster benefit period minus disaster expenses must not exceed the income limit for the household size. For example, a household of three must meet the limit of $3,068 or less.
Additionally, to be eligible, individuals or households must have experienced at least one of the following conditions as a direct result of the severe weather event:
- Damage to or destruction of the home or self-employment business.
- Loss or inaccessibility of income including a reduction or termination of income or a significant delay in receiving income due to disaster related problems.
- Disaster-related expenses (home or business repairs, temporary shelter, evacuation, etc.) that are not expected to be reimbursed during the disaster benefit period.
- Food loss.
Recipients of Tennessee’s regular SNAP program are not eligible to receive D-SNAP.
D-SNAP Application Information
Households who meet the qualifications for disaster assistance may apply online at the D-SNAP application page: https://onedhs.tn.gov or by visiting a TDHS County Office or Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Multi-Agency Resource Center (TEMA MARC) location. Applications from households who resided or worked in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties at the time of the disaster will be accepted beginning at 8:00 AM EDT on Monday, October 21, 2024 through 4:30 PM EDT on Friday, October 25, 2024.
Households who meet the qualifications for D-SNAP can pre-register for an interview 24 hours a day beginning 8:00 AM EDT on October 14, 2024 through 4:30 PM EDT on Thursday, October 17, 2024 via the One DHS Customer Portal at https://onedhs.tn.gov. The D-SNAP pre-registration form will re-open at 8:00 AM EDT on Monday, October 21, 2024 and close at 4:30 PM on Friday, October 25, 2025.
Special Note: Applicants may only pre-register/apply once in the time period for D-SNAP.
Customers in need of technical assistance can call the D-SNAP Hotline at 1-888-615-8180 from 8:00 AM EDT to 4:30 PM EDT from October 21, 2024 until October 25, 2024. Face-to-face assistance is available in the local TDHS offices and TEMA MARC locations below.
County |
Location |
Address |
Hours |
Carter |
TEMA Carter County MARC |
1749 Hwy. 19E Elizabethton, TN 37643 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT |
Cocke |
TDHS Cocke County Office |
340 Heritage Blvd. Newport, TN 37821 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Cocke |
TEMA Cocke County MARC |
466 Learning Road Newport, TN 37821 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Greene |
TDHS Greene County Office |
128 Serral Dr., Suite 1 Greeneville, TN 37745 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Hamblen |
TDHS Hamblen County Office |
2416 W. Andrew Johnson Hwy. Morristown, TN 37814 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Hawkins |
TDHS Hawkins County Office |
4017 Hwy. 66 S., Suite 14 Rogersville, TN 37857 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Johnson |
TDHS Johnson County Office |
370 Cold Springs Rd. Mountain City, TN 37683 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Unicoi |
TDHS Unicoi County Office |
724 Ohio Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Washington |
TDHS Washington County Office |
2557 Plymouth Rd. Johnson City, TN 37601 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT |
Washington |
TEMA Washington County MARC |
306 Forest Dr. Jonesborough, TN 37659 |
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM EDT – 4:30 PM EDT |
Disaster SNAP Assistance is provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and each eligible county is approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.
Emergency Cash Assistance
Qualifying families (with children) who live or work in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties affected by Hurricane Helene can receive one-time emergency cash assistance. The program will provide a one-time cash payment of $500 for households of up to 2 people, $750 for households of 3 to 4 people, and $1,000 for households of 5 or more.
SNAP households (with children) and Families First (TANF) households in the impacted counties will automatically receive Emergency Cash Assistance.
TDHS Customers Who Automatically Qualify Include:
- Families First (TANF) recipients in the designated counties with active cases as of September 27, 2024, that remained active as of October 1, 2024.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in the designated counties with active cases as of September 27, 2024, that remained active as of October 1, 2024, and still have at least one child under age 18 in the home and meet the emergency cash assistance income guidelines.
Families First (TANF) and SNAP customers who automatically qualify will receive the one-time emergency benefit directly to their existing EBT cards during the week of October 21, 2024.
People in the impacted counties who are not existing SNAP or Families First (TANF) participants, may also qualify for Emergency Cash Assistance, but must apply to determine eligibility.
Eligibility Requirements for Emergency Cash Assistance:
In addition to living or working in one of the designated counties, applicants must also meet the below qualifications to receive Emergency Cash Assistance:
- Families must have a child under the age of 18 or be a pregnant woman (regardless of trimester).
- Families must meet Families First citizenship requirements.
- Families and household members must have a valid Social Security Number.
- The family’s resources must not exceed $2,000.
- Families must be unable to live in their home (or apartment) on the date the application is filed, or the home requires significant repairs due to the damage from the disaster, or the applicant must not be able to work due to destruction of the workplace.
- The family’s gross household income must not exceed 85% of the State’s Median Income. See chart below:
Emergency Cash Assistance Income Standards
Household Size |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
Gross Monthly Income |
$2,696 |
$3,526 |
$4,356 |
$5,185 |
$6,015 |
$6,845 |
$7,001 |
$7,156 |
Families living in the affected counties who are not active Families First (TANF) or SNAP recipients as of October 1, 2024, may apply for the one-time cash assistance payment on the Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP)/Emergency Cash Assistance application page at https://onedhs.tn.gov/csp. Applications will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. CDT on Monday, October 21, 2024 through Friday, October 25, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. CDT.
Replacement SNAP Benefits (for existing SNAP recipients):
The Tennessee Department of Human Services is prepared to provide replacement Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to current SNAP households who suffered losses due to severe weather which may have caused power outages or a household misfortune.
These replacement benefits are available for existing SNAP recipients who:
- Lost food due to a power outage of 12 hours or more
- Lost food due to a household misfortune
Individuals requesting replacement benefits need to sign an affidavit and send it to TDHS using the Upload Documents option, within the One DHS Customer Portal available here: OneDHS.tn.gov/csp. New to the One DHS Customer Portal? Click here for instructions on how to set up an account and link your case. Once your account is set up and case linked, you may submit a Affidavit Request for SNAP Replacement Benefits.
Affidavit Request for SNAP Replacement Due to Power Outage (HS-3003)
Affidavit Request for SNAP replacement Due to Power Outage (HS-3003) Spanish
Affidavit Request for SNAP Replacement Due to Power Outage (HS-3003) Arabic
Affidavit Request for SNAP Replacement Due to Power Outage (HS-3003) Somali
Affidavit Request for SNAP Replacement Due to Power Outage (HS-3003) Swahili
SNAP recipients must request replacement benefits within 10 (ten) calendar days of experiencing food loss. Once approved, SNAP replacement benefits are issued on the current recipient’s EBT card. Replacement SNAP benefits will be authorized for the value of the loss only and can’t exceed the current month’s allotment.
***Due to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, SNAP households in Carter, Clay, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties have until October 28, 2024 to file SNAP Replacement Affidavits.***
Hot Foods Waiver
TDHS has received federal approval to provide vital relief to SNAP households affected by Hurricane Helene by implementing a temporary SNAP Hot Foods Waiver. Effective immediately and running through November 30, 2024, residents in Carter, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties who receive SNAP, D-SNAP or Summer EBT benefits will be allowed to use their benefits to purchase hot and prepared foods at USDA FNS-authorized EBT retailer food stores.
For more information on Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Tennessee, visit the TEMA website at: https://www.tn.gov/tema/updates/hurricane-helene.html
Preventing, Reporting and Stopping EBT Theft and Fraud
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is here to ensure Tennesseans have the tools they need to become financially stable and uses Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to deliver benefits. Unfortunately, some criminals are willing to use card skimming and other tactics to steal aid meant to help families on their way to financial stability. Customers and businesses that use and accept benefits using EBT cards are strongly encouraged to review preventative measures and reporting practices to stop the theft of benefits. Click Here to learn how to prevent, report and stop EBT theft and fraud.