SNAP benefits can be issued as soon as Friday
SNAP benefits should be issued as soon as Friday, according to a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Health, which administers the federal SNAP program in the state through the Department of Public Assistance.
“Alaska is working to send the remaining November benefits right away, with a goal of issuing them this week,” Director of Communications for the Alaska Dept. of Health Shirley Sakaye wrote in an email to The Nome Nugget on Thursday, Nov. 13. Sakaye said barring any unforeseen delays, SNAP benefits will be uploaded on EBT cards Friday.
December benefits will be issued on the regular schedule, and the more information will be sent to households if necessary.
Office of the Governor Communications Director Jeff Turner said that the State of Alaska distributed $2.5 million in funds to food banks during the shutdown. “The state does not expect the USDA to reimburse the $2.5 million,” he wrote in an email Thursday afternoon.
The development comes as the federal government is set to reopen as Congress has passed a continuing resolutions bill, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 12. The continuing resolution funds the government through January 30, 2026. SNAP benefits are fully funded through September 30, 2026.
The Nome Food Bank is open Thursday until 6 p.m.
Ariana Crockett O'Harra
I am from Anchorage, Alaska, where I grew up cross country skiing, kayaking, and spending time outdoors. In 2024, I graduated from Montana State University with double majors in photography and english with a minor in psychology. I enjoy running, film photography, and cooking.
I'm a new reporter at The Nome Nugget, but I spent most of my teen and college years preparing for a career in journalism. In high school, I worked with Alaska Teen Media Institute, where I learned the ins and outs of print, radio and visual journalism. In college, I worked for my school paper, The MSU Exponent, where I covered everything from drag shows to rodeos to presidential rallies.
Although I was employed as a photographer and director of photography at prior jobs, I still wrote, and much of my work is driven by the urge to create cohesive, comprehensive coverage of a situation, both visually and in writing. I moved to Nome in part because I love the north, I love the ocean, and I love the tundra, but I also moved here because I believe that local journalism is a lifeline for communities – local journalists are the ones reporting on your school board meetings, the state of the roads, and whatever else comes across our desks. We're also the ones who are in some of the best positions to report on national issues that affect our communities. I am most interested to use my skills to inform our readers in a truthful and unbiased way.