Slidell food stamp site extends stay

Location will remain open until next Tuesday

By Chad Ruiz
St. Tammany News
Published on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 8:03 AM CDT

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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.

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Comments

3 comment(s)

Allen wrote on Oct 7, 2008 9:52 AM:

" Um, not everyone needs to be taken care of. In this area, lots of people have the money to re-stock their refridgerators. Some do not. This program is designed for them, not for those of you that incessantly vote for candidates that don't support public assistance. Bush, Vitter, etc. I wonder how many of you out there got your food stamps anyway? You have the money, you disagree with "handouts", yet I bet ya'll were the first in line. "

theydonotcare wrote on Sep 30, 2008 8:42 PM:

" They do not care they are trying to show that they are making an effort (just like road home) but they do not take care of everyone. "

tiffany wrote on Sep 25, 2008 11:50 AM:

" i don't see how they are doing 1000's of people a day when they are turning away the same amount. it is disaster food stamps everyone that lost power and all of their food should get them. everyone is broke from running from the storms. it shouldn't matter how much money you make cause we spent most of it running "

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