[StBernard] Food stamp application sites overwhelmed, closed

[Westley Annis]

Parishes -one after the other- are closing the application centers today 
for post-Gustav food stamps.

Thousands of people started showing up before dawn.

"Please bare with us," said Louisiana State Police Trooper Louis Calato as 
they closed the St. Tammany Parish site.  "They have reached their 
maximum."

Calato say they will reopen the Castine Center, 63350 Pelican Blvd. 
Mandeville, at 8:00am.  "We are advising everyone please do not come out 
early," he told WWL First News.  He says that's because it causes big 
traffic trouble on Highway 190 and makes it hard to get kids to school on 
time.

In Jefferson Parish officials issued a news release about Johnny Jacobs 
Playground, 5851 5th Street in Marrero.

"The overwhelming response has force this site to no longer take 
applications," the release said. "Currently the site is out of 
applications and can no longer process any further applicants. Jefferson 
Parish urges all citizens to refrain from going to the site at this time 
because they are over-booked and are unable to process any more applicants 
today.  The parish will notify the public through the media when and where 
the State will resume accepting applications."

They ran into trouble in Plaquemines parish as well at St. Patrick's 
Family Life Center, 28698 Hwy. 23, Port Sulphur.

"They have all the people they can accommodate in one day.  So, we're 
going to have to try to come up with a new game plan tomorrow," said 
Sheriff's Major John Marie.  "There's not enough people from D.S.S. to 
handle that."

State officials say all the sites will be re-open each day for seven 
consecutive days and if you qualify, you get the same benefits whenever 
you apply.

Click here to see a full list of sites and qualification rules>
http://dss.state.la.us/departments/dss/Disaster_Food_Stamp_Program_.html