Slidell food stamp site extends stay

The disaster food stamp location in Slidell will be around longer than first thought.

In the wake of hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the Louisiana Department of Social Services opened a disaster food stamp center at the Castine Center in Mandeville’s Pelican Park.

After catering to the community in that location for several weeks, DSS officials relocated the center to the John Slidell Park gym on Saturday.

The center was expected to close on Tuesday, but after averaging more than 1,000 people a day, officials saw fit to keep the center open another week until next Tuesday, Diana Talley with the St. Tammany Parish Office of Family Support working with the DSS said.

Even with the thousands of people, Talley said operations are running smoothly with little problems.

There’s also very little wait and plenty of parking, Talley said, with convenient handicap parking also available.

The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Talley said applicants should bring identification and proof of residency to qualify for a disaster food stamp card. She also said people need to know the birthdates and Social Security numbers of all household members.

“Slidell has been great to us, and this site is working out very smoothly,” Talley said.