USDA Announces Approval of D-NAP for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Disaster Areas

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from Typhoon Sinlaku may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program (D-NAP). Approximately 8,700 households in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.

Through this program, which USDA makes available through U.S. territories in the aftermath of disasters, people who may not be eligible for NAP in normal circumstances can participate if they meet specific criteria, including disaster income limits and qualifying disaster-related expenses.

CNMI D-NAP dates of implementation are still being finalized. CNMI will share additional information about D-NAP application dates and locations through local media.

How to Apply for D-NAP

To be eligible for D-NAP, a household must live in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-NAP eligibility criteria. Eligible households will receive up to two months of benefits – equal to the maximum monthly amount for a NAP household of their size – that they can use to purchase groceries at NAP-authorized stores to meet their temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster. For more information about CNMI NAP, visit CNMI’s Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.

 The D-NAP announcement today is the latest in a host of USDA actions taken to help CNMI residents cope with Typhoon Sinlaku and its aftermath, which also include:

• Approving a waiver to allow NAP participants to buy hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their benefits at authorized NAP retailers territory-wide through June 27, 2026.

• Approving a mass replacements waiver for NAP participants, allowing households to receive replacement benefits lost due to power outages.

• Approving a territory-wide waiver to extend certification periods and waive periodic reporting requirements for ongoing NAP households for up to two months.

Although current NAP households in the identified areas are not eligible for D-NAP, they will automatically be issued the maximum allotment plus an additional supplement of 20% for up to six months of NAP benefits.   

The timing of D-NAP varies with the unique circumstances of each disaster, but always begins after commercial channels of food distribution have been restored and families are able to purchase and prepare food at home. Before operating a D-NAP, a territory must ensure that the proper public information, staffing, and resources are in place.