Gov. Ivey takes action during federal government’s inaction
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Special to the News
On Tuesday Gov. Kay Ivey announced she is releasing $2 million of the state’s emergency funds to go towards eight food banks, serving all of Alabama’s 67 counties.
This came on the fourth day of the month, which is the first day some of the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will miss an issuance of those benefits to their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
In Alabama, SNAP benefits are issued to recipients’ EBT cards on a specific day from the fourth of the month to the twenty-third, so each day U.S. Senate Democrats refuse to reopen the federal government, more Alabama children, seniors and disabled who benefit from the SNAP program will be impacted.
As the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) has noted, SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded. Throughout this shutdown period, DHR is also assisting by redirecting an additional $3 million to the Feeding Alabama food banks network, which touches all 67 counties, for a total of $9 million for FY26.
There are currently 11,434 children in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and DHR is sending an additional $300 for each of those children to their caregivers. These additional funds should help these families offset some of their monthly costs because of the lack of SNAP funding.
SNAP is also not the only program impacted by this federal government shutdown, and while it is not feasible, realistic or sustainable for the state to take on the responsibilities of the federal government, Gov. Ivey feels compelled to put additional state dollars towards food banks across Alabama who are serving those in need.
“There are real Alabama families who rely on SNAP to put food on their tables, and that includes more than 300,000 children, more than 102,000 seniors and those who are disabled. That is why I am directing $2 million in emergency funding to go towards food banks serving the people of our state,” said Ivey. “We are now in the longest federal government shutdown in history, and it is absolutely ridiculous that families all across our country are suffering – whether that is the school children who rely on SNAP, the air traffic controller not receiving a paycheck or even our military and high number of federal government worker families in Alabama. Hear me loud and clear when I say Alabama cannot be both the state and federal government. And like states all across the country, Alabama is stepping up to help, but this is not sustainable by any means. U.S. Senate Democrats must vote to reopen the federal government now.”
In the meantime, the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced SNAP guidance has been sent to states to help partially fund the program while the federal government remains shutdown.
The team at Alabama DHR is closely reviewing those details to act as quickly as possible. As Secretary Rollins notes, this will be a cumbersome process for states and will result in delayed benefits. At this point in Alabama, that exact timeframe is unknown.
A few members of the Alabama Legislature have also inquired about a special session to tap into Rainy Day funds. The governor has said she has no plans to call a special session. According to the law, in order to use Rainy Day funds, the state would need to be in proration, which is not the case.
The governor added, “There is only one true solution, and that is for Congress to do their one job and reopen the federal government now.”
Food banks included in the governor’s $2 million assistance are Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, Food Bank of East Alabama, Food Bank of North Alabama, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Heart of Alabama Food Bank, Selma Area Food Bank, West Alabama Food Bank, and the Wiregrass Area Food Bank.
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