SNAP Backlog’s Effect on Our Communities

Guest Blog by Board Members- Hannah Hill (Executive Director, Bread Line) and Rachael Miller (Chief Advocacy Officer, Food Bank of Alaska)

Hi! We’re AFPC Board Members. We’re also anti-hunger advocates!

Everybody eats. That’s a universal truth of humanity. Food security programs are designed to support communities by helping people receive the nourishment they need and deserve. Food security is an official term, from the USDA, defined as “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Alaska is one of the most expensive states to live in. With our vast lands and remote communities, food can be costly or scarce and many Alaskans struggle to meet basic needs. About 1 in 10 Alaskans live in households that are food insecure – without adequate access to good nutrition.

This is now the second winter in a row where Alaska has experienced a serious SNAP (food stamps) backlog. SNAP – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program– “provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being.” SNAP is one of a suite of federal anti-hunger programs that include Senior Nutrition Benefits, WIC, Double Up Bucks, the National School Lunch Program, and others.

Why does this matter to our state? Over 92,000 Alaskans, or 1 in 8 people, access SNAP. More than 66% of that group are in families with children and almost 40% are part of working families. The U.S. federal government funds 100% of SNAP benefits and splits operating costs with the State 50/50. SNAP is the largest of the USDA’s anti-hunger programs and one of the most important safety nets for Americans, protecting vulnerable people and boosting local economies. Every dollar of federally funded SNAP benefits generates $1.79 in economic activity.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the SNAP backlog issue plaguing our state? Over the recent SNAP backlogs, tens of thousands of Alaskans couldn't access food stamps for months on end. When people cannot access SNAP they turn to the local charities – an already hardworking network that simply cannot match the resources and reach of SNAP.

As one example, the Bread Line is a low-barrier anti-hunger organization that has been “feeding people and affirming lives'' in Fairbanks since 1984. Before the beginning of the state’s SNAP backlogs, the Bread Line was already serving meals at an unprecedented level. Since October of 2022 – when the first SNAP backlog was announced – their small soup kitchen has been a record-breaker every month. In 2023, the Bread Line served 11,000 more meals than the previous year, and served more new people than ever before. Many of their guests reported that their food stamps were delayed - sometimes for months. With the ongoing help and advocacy of community members, as well as statewide organizations like the Alaska Food Coalition and the Alaska Food Policy Council, local anti-hunger groups are now receiving more help from the State to meet Alaska’s food gap.

It’s been an exceptionally challenging few years for Alaska’s anti-hunger network. Between sweeping budget cuts, a global pandemic, inflationary costs, shipping issues, reduced food from federal programs, and rolling SNAP backlogs, an unprecedented need grows for community support services.

This can feel big and overwhelming - it’s easy to look the other way. What can we do as every day people, in the face of poverty and hunger?

We always recommend folks advocate for themselves and their communities by contacting your local community council, calling your state legislative offices, and sharing accurate information about programs that feed people whenever possible.

Not into politics? Alaskans help each other every day- we see it in our work! Be it volunteering at the food bank or donating to your local soup kitchen, tending a community garden or starting a “little free pantry” - when we learn together and help each other, we build stronger and safer communities for everyone.

If you or someone you know is experiencing food insecurity, you can find more information on anti-hunger programs here:

For more information about hunger in Alaska, check out Food Bank of Alaska’s fact page.