BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — People in 23 Louisiana parishes including Bienville who were severely impacted by February’s winter storms will be able to apply for disaster food stamps, with an application period that starts Monday, April 12.

The application process for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run in two phases between Monday and April 17, according to the state social services department. Applications will follow an alphabet schedule according to people’s last names.

The disaster food stamp program provides aid to households that don’t regularly receive benefits but who need help buying groceries because of lost income in a disaster. Federal approval is required to authorize a disaster food stamp program.

Parishes eligible for the food aid are: Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Franklin, Grant, LaSalle, Madison, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Webster, West Carroll and Winn.

Click here for instructions on how to apply or visit http://www.dcfs.la.gov/page/dsnap

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