Bulk food in Food Bank of Alaska’s Anchorage warehouse on April 21, 2023. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
A pair of bills before lawmakers would make systemic changes to the way the state’s food stamp program processes applications and could expand access to food aid for Alaskans.
The legislation comes after more than a year of extreme delays in food stamp distribution across the state that have left thousands of vulnerable Alaskans without aid for months at a time, which has driven many into debt and inundated food pantries with food insecure families.
Last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy put roughly $60 million towards relief for the backlog through computer upgrades, contract workers, and food for the state’s overwhelmed food pantries. The problem has persisted, so this year the governor’s budget proposal would put another $8.8 million towards alleviating the burden of the backlog in processing food stamp applications through additions to staff and add $5 million for aid to food pantries.