Arizona food banks are bracing for an increase in demand following the passage of President Donald Trump’s tax and policy bill.
The so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" adds new work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, recipients. It also requires some states to pay more into the program and penalizes states for erroneous benefits payments. And the legislation removes SNAP eligibility for some refugees or asylees.
More than 900,000 Arizonans received SNAP assistance in 2024. The Urban Institute estimates nearly 450,000 Arizonans could lose SNAP benefits or see their benefits reduced under the new changes.
During an event with Sen. Mark Kelly in Phoenix on Friday, Terri Shoemaker, Arizona Food Bank Network executive vice president, said these changes come as food banks are already seeing demand more than 50% higher than pre-pandemic averages.
“We already have a hunger crisis and hunger will increase,” Shoemaker said.
Shoemaker said, under new changes to the SNAP program, more Arizonans will turn to charitable organizations for food assistance.
“Even the biggest businesses that have plenty of resources would be challenged if you said, ‘you know what? Tomorrow you’re going to have four times as many customers.’ Now imagine you’re a small church food pantry or even a large regional food bank,” Shoemaker said.
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Nearly 1,800 formerly homeless Arizonans could be at risk of losing shelter as the Trump administration seeks a major overhaul of federal funding for homelessness programs. -
FEMA has awarded about $700,000 to Arizona and the Havasupai Tribe to fund hazard mitigation projects. The money came from a program the federal agency had nixed but was reinstated by the courts earlier this year. -
Phoenix households cut from SNAP can apply for a $600 credit toward their APS or SRP electric bill and $100 for gas or public transportation. -
Planned Parenthood Arizona clinics are once again providing care for patients insured through Medicaid. Services for Medicaid patients had been on pause since September. -
The U.S. Agriculture Department says Arizona’s error rate for food stamp applications was 10.8%; that’s higher than the national rate of 10.6%. If that number doesn’t come down, it’ll cost the state in penalties, thanks to provisions in the "Big Beautiful Bill Act."
