Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is releasing $2 million in state emergency funds to eight food banks serving all 67 counties, her office reported on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the governor’s office, this comes on the 4th 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 4th of the month to the 23rd, 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.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) noted that SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded. During the shutdown, DHR is redirecting an additional $3 million to the Feeding Alabama food bank network, which serves all 67 counties, for a total of $9 million in FY26, according to the agency.
DHR also said there are 11,434 children in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and that an additional $300 will be sent for each of those children to their caregivers to help offset monthly costs while SNAP funding is disrupted.
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, Governor Ivey feels compelled to put additional state dollars towards food banks across Alabama who are serving those in need, her office reports.
“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 Governor 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.”
According to the governor’s office, 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 today 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.
The governor’s office also said some legislators have inquired about a special session to tap Rainy Day funds, but Ivey has no plans to call one. By law, the state would need to be in proration to access those funds, which is not the case, according to the office.
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, Governor Ivey’s office added.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
