Texas Receives Approval for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Victims of Hurricane Nicholas

By Prattiba JaiSri On Sep 16, 2021

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has received federal approval to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed due to the damages caused by Hurricane Nicholas.

Hurricane Nicholas made landfall along the Texas coast on Tuesday, with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm caused heavy rainfall and widespread flooding across the state. Nicholas was the 14th named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.

The hurricane has caused lots of Texan families to currently struggling with resources, especially because the flooding may have damaged some of their supplies. Nearly all of the state’s coastline was under a tropical storm warning that included potential flash floods and urban flooding, and authorities placed rescue teams and resources in the Houston area and along the coast.

SNAP is a federal program that HHSC administers that provides food assistance to approximately 1.4 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Texas.

According to Gov. Greg Abbott’s statement, “Texans along the Gulf Coast whose groceries were lost or destroyed by Hurricane Nicholas will not be left without food on the table. As we continue to work closely with local communities to ensure they have the resources needed to rebuild, these replacement SNAP benefits will help put Texans in need on the path to recovery.”

Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.

To find local resources in your areas, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 and select option 1. To request food replacement benefits, select option 2. Recipients can also download Form H1855 (Affidavit for Nonreceipt or Destroyed Food Stamp Benefits) on the HHSC website.

To limit exposure to COVID-19, recipients are encouraged to mail or fax the completed form to HHSC instead of visiting their local offices. Completed forms should be mailed to Texas Health and Human Services Commission, PO Box 149027, Austin, TX, 78714-9027, or faxed to 1-877-447-2839. For more information, please visit hhs.texas.gov.

“I thank our federal partners for swiftly approving SNAP benefit replacements for food lost or destroyed in the wake of this winter weather disaster,” said Governor Abbott. “This support is essential to help Texans continue to provide nutritious meals for their families in these challenging times.”