Tens of thousands of Alaskans will lose access to expanded food stamp benefits in September after the state ends its public health emergency in July. This comes as food aid groups say need is reaching previous pandemic highs while prices are soaring.
That’s around 17,000 more people who received the benefit compared to January 2020, and is a number that’s been steadily rising since January 2021, according to data from the state’s health department.
According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 16 states around the country have ended their emergency or disaster declarations while another four have said they will end theirs. States can extend the emergency SNAP benefits by a month after their emergency declarations end — which Alaska opted to do in order to send the benefits out through August once the order ends in July. The benefits will also extend a month after the federal emergency ends, according to the USDA.
Parker said local food banks can be a stopgap measure for those who need food. She’s also told clients that to qualify for the maximum amount of food stamp benefits, they should make sure the Division of Public Assistance is aware of all expenses. But all in all, she said, there’s not a great safety net for people.
“By DHSS ending the state emergency, they’re basically just ending Alaskans’ access to the federal money earlier than they need to, which does seem cruel right now,” Dickey said.
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