Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced Monday that federal officials approved an extension of the deadline for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost during July’s severe weather and flooding, according to an Aug. 3 news release from the governor’s office. Regulators also approved adding two counties to the assistance list.
The extension gives affected families across Central and South Texas additional time to recover food benefits lost in the storms. SNAP recipients now have until Aug. 12, 2026, to apply, and funds should be added to Lone Star Cards within two business days of a request, the release stated.
“Texas will provide all available resources to help families recover from recent severe weather and severe flooding across our state,” Abbott said in the release. “Through this expansion of SNAP replacement benefits, we will ensure that affected Texans across Central and South Texas have access to the essential food support they need to recover and rebuild.”
At HHSC’s request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved replacement benefits for recipients in Sutton and Zavala counties, according to the release. Those counties join nine previously approved: Bandera, Blanco, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde, and Val Verde.
“We are grateful to our federal partners for their collaboration in making these replacement benefits available to more Texans impacted by the flooding in July,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth in the release.
Recipients should visit a local HHSC office to request a replacement, and offices can be located through YourTexasBenefits.com, state officials said. Texans unable to visit an office because of age, disability, or distance can download form H1855 and mail it to Texas Health and Human Services in Austin or submit it by fax, according to the release.
State officials noted that Texans affected by any disaster can find more information on the HHSC Receiving Disaster Assistance webpage, and local resources such as food or shelter are available by dialing 2-1-1 and selecting option 1.