Emergency food stamp aid is available starting today for residents in nine parishes damaged by Hurricane Isaac.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the disaster food stamp program for Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines St. Bernard, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany parishes.
The program will provide aid to households who don't normally get food stamps but need help buying groceries after Isaac.
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services has set up application locations in the parishes, with designated days staggered for applicants based on the first letter of their last name.
To help speed the process, people can pre-apply for the program at www.dcfs.la.gov/preapply or by calling 1-888-LAHELP-U.
DCFS estimates more than 288,000 households could be eligible for the food aid.