Alaska lawmakers expand food stamp program with goal of preventing hunger, application backlogs

Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, stares at a pile stack of budget amendments on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
More Alaskans will be able to access food stamps following lawmakers’ vote to expand eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday night.
The change comes after more than a year of extreme delays in food stamp distribution across the state that left thousands of vulnerable Alaskans without aid for months at a time, drivi