New Orleans and Orleans Parish public assistance programs — LDH Economic Stability guide
New Orleans runs on low-wage work. The tourism, hospitality, and service industries that define the city employ a large share of Orleans Parish residents in jobs that pay little and often offer no benefits. That reality means a significant portion of the city qualifies for state and federal assistance programs — and many who qualify have never applied, or applied once and stopped when the process got complicated.
This page explains what the Louisiana Department of Health's Office of Economic Stability offers Orleans Parish residents, who qualifies, and where to go if you need help right now. Phone applications are allowed (call 1-888-524-3578) with also online applications possible per details below.
Food assistance — SNAP
SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, still widely called food stamps — is the main food benefit available to low-income Orleans Parish residents. Benefits are loaded monthly onto an EBT card that works like a debit card at grocery stores and supermarkets across New Orleans, and at participating online retailers for eligible food items. Some people may even get their benefits started in less time and see the guide to how to get SNAP fast.
Many people in New Orleans who work regular jobs in restaurants, hotels, and retail qualify for SNAP based on their income, even while employed. The program isn't only for people who are out of work. If you've never applied because you assumed your job disqualified you, it's worth checking. Households in a genuine crisis — no money for food and almost no income — may qualify for expedited benefits processed within seven days. Tell the caseworker you're in immediate need when you apply.
Cash assistance — FITAP
The Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) provides monthly cash payments to low-income families with children. The money can be used for rent, utilities, groceries, or other household needs. FITAP is Louisiana's version of the federal TANF program, and most adult recipients who are physically able are required to participate in work or job training activities as a condition of receiving benefits.
The program is built as a bridge, not permanent support — there are time limits on benefits, and caseworkers work with recipients on employment and stability goals alongside the cash assistance. For families living in parts of New Orleans where wages haven't kept pace with the city's rising cost of living, FITAP can be an important short-term resource while working toward more stable employment.
Kinship Care Subsidy
Children in Orleans Parish being raised by a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or another relative instead of their parents may qualify for the Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP). This provides monthly cash assistance to help relative caregivers cover the child's daily needs. It applies to informal family arrangements — not foster care — and eligibility is based on the child's living situation and the household's income.
Child care assistance — CCAP
Parents in Orleans Parish who are working or enrolled in school or job training may qualify for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which helps pay for licensed child care. The benefit covers a portion — or in some cases all — of day care costs, depending on income, hours worked or in school, and the number of children in the household. Eligible providers include licensed day care centers, registered family home providers, and school-based before and after care programs. See the NHPB free or income based daycare in Louisiana page
Medicaid health coverage
Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, and dental care for qualifying low-income Orleans Parish residents. Louisiana expanded Medicaid in 2016, and many adults who were previously uninsured in New Orleans can now qualify. In neighborhoods where poverty rates remain elevated and employer-sponsored insurance is uncommon, Medicaid is often the only health coverage available.
LaCHIP covers children in households that don't qualify for full Medicaid. LaMOMS covers pregnant women. In many cases applicants qualify for Medicaid at the same time they apply for SNAP or FITAP, and the intake process often covers all three together.
Employment and job training
Residents receiving SNAP or FITAP can be connected to employment services through Louisiana Works (LA Works), which runs the STEP workforce program and SNAP Employment and Training. Services include job placement help, resume assistance, career counseling, and referrals to training programs. Ask your LDH caseworker for a referral, or contact Louisiana Works directly at https://www.laworks.net/..
How and where to apply
The LDH Economic Stability office for Orleans Parish is at 2601 Tulane Ave., 5th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70119. This is where residents can get in-person help with applications and case questions for SNAP, FITAP, KCSP, and related programs. Online applications are available at any time through the CAFÉ portal at https://sspweb.ie.dcfs.la.gov/selfservice/selfserviceJSPController, which also handles case status checks, income changes, household updates, and caseworker communication.
By phone, call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. When applying, have your ID, proof of your current address, income information for everyone in your household, and Social Security numbers available.
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