Arizona Reinstates 69-Year-Old's $260 SNAP Benefit After Inquiry as 460,000 Lose Aid
Updated
Updated · WBUR News · May 8
Arizona Reinstates 69-Year-Old's $260 SNAP Benefit After Inquiry as 460,000 Lose Aid
1 articles · Updated · WBUR News · May 8
Hours after a news outlet asked about Lee Rosen’s case, Arizona’s Department of Economic Security restored the 69-year-old Phoenix resident’s $260 monthly food benefit.
Rosen had been cut off after failing to report $47 in income from a one-shift retail job, and he said jammed phone lines left him unable to fix the case.
Arizona has removed nearly 460,000 people from SNAP since Congress tightened eligibility, added work requirements and made states share program costs; more than 3 million have lost benefits nationwide.
State officials say stricter documentation rules, outdated technology and staffing cuts have driven backlogs, while Gov. Katie Hobbs is seeking $48 million and fighting Republican proposals for tougher limits.
Food banks are absorbing the fallout: United Food Bank says distribution is rising 10% to 12% a month, and Arizona food-bank visits now exceed SNAP usage.
New work rules cut millions from food aid. Are people finding jobs or just facing deeper hunger?
States now pay for SNAP errors. Can they fix broken systems without denying food to the hungry?