38K Alaska households turn to food stamps during tight times

Tracy Peterson and her daughter apply for SNAP benefits during an event at the Sullivan Arena. (Photo by Anne Hillman/KSKA)
Tracy Peterson and her daughter apply for SNAP benefits during an event at the Sullivan Arena. (Photo by Anne Hillman/KSKA)

According to a new White House report, 38,000 Alaska households receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Two-thirds of those households have children. Half of them are in deep poverty.

Despite some issues, many people say the program is working as it should.

Tracy Peters didn’t expect to be sitting in the Sullivan Arena waiting to pick up donated food and presents for Christmas. She was working as a personal caregiver, but a month ago her hours were cut and some of her clients passed away. Then her husband lost his job as a lineman.

“(He) got laid off because of the weather,” she said. “We weren’t prepared for that because he was told he’d have winter work (and) then they laid him off.”

Peters is applying for jobs, but in the meantime, she’s also applying for SNAP. She said she’s trying to keep her family healthy.

“So many people eat a bunch of junk food because they can’t afford the healthy stuff,” she said. “That’s another reason I’m trying to apply because we’re eating a bunch of fattening foods. I’m hoping this can help us with the healthy choices instead.”

Peters has a copy of the 24-page application in her lap. It asks for detailed information about income, assets and medical history for everyone in the household.

“This is actually a lot more steps that I thought it was — a little bit more difficult than I thought,” Peters said.

Applicants have to submit a lot of paperwork — pay stubs, tax forms and rental agreements.

“I know. It’s 2016 almost and we’re paper,” says Tammie Walker, Chief of Field Operations for the state’s Department of Public Assistance, which administers the federally funded program.

Walker said she knows some people think the process is cumbersome. Though many people apply and get benefits within a month or two and don’t mind the process at all, others have stories about waiting for hours at offices or never getting called back about their applications. Walker said part of the problem is relying on physical files of paperwork that are spread out to offices around the state.

“The paper is killing us,” she said. “And our commissioner knows it. They are very aware because they see the frustration from staff and from clients.”

Walker said the department is trying to streamline the application and eventually go digital, like the Medicaid application, but it takes time. Relative to Medicaid’s backlog, the food stamps program is doing very well.

According to the Food Bank of Alaska, about 27 percent of people who qualify for the program don’t apply. Some say it’s not worth the effort if they only get about $18 per month. Benefits range widely. Others don’t know that owning a house or a snow machine that’s used for daily transportation doesn’t disqualify you.

Many of the people who apply, like Brandy Straight, say SNAP has been a lifeline. She lost her job and took over the care of her disabled brother and her four children. The household of seven is living on her fiance’s $12 per hour job. Straight said before getting benefits, they had to choose between rent and food.

“I do feel it could help better if they look more at the medical needs that people have. Because people with diabetes, you have to go to more particular foods,” Straight said. “My brother has brain damage and has seizures, so there are special diets, but I can’t really get the diets he needs because then it’s more expensive. So you have to be very careful to pick what you pick.”

But she says she’s grateful for all that she gets.

David Patterson, his girlfriend and their baby were homeless before they starting receiving SNAP and other benefits. He said the program helped him put aside enough money to find a place to rent instead of couch surfing.

“We actually got established in our own place and were able to keep food on the table. All around, it was amazing,” Patterson said.

Like 57 percent of the adults who receive SNAP benefits, Patterson is working. He said he’s a commercial fisherman and tries to get other jobs in the off-season, but he uses SNAP when he needs it to make sure he can keep a roof over his and his child’s head.

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