Food & Nutrition

1 in 5 Arizonans is hungry.

1 in 4 Arizona children lives in poverty.

1.1 million Arizonans are enrolled in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which helps put healthy food in reach for their family.

Arizona Community Action Association disseminates critical information regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – the new Federal Name for the Food Stamp Program) and other food assistance and nutrition programs. Our staff can provide brochures, flyers, and other materials at no cost, and is also available to conduct presentations on SNAP eligibility and how to help those who may be eligible to access the benefits. Additionally, ACAA conducts and participates in coalition building efforts with hunger-related entities to address food policy, security and recovery in Arizona, including: Arizona Hunger Advisory Council sponsored by the Arizona Department of Economic Security; The Statewide Gleaning Project, a project of the Association of Arizona Food Banks; and the Western Regional Anti-Hunger Consortium.

To determine whether you may qualify for SNAP (formerly food stamps), please visit our free and confidential website www.arizonaselfhelp.org.

To apply online for SNAP and/or TANF Cash Assistance and AHCCCS (Medicaid), visit https://www.healthearizona.org.

The SNAP Information Plan for Arizona is available upon request.

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What’s New:

*USDA Guidance on Non-Citizen Eligibility and Policies on Immigrants and Access are available online. We recommend these resources to anyone with questions about access and eligibility for non-citizen or immigrant households, and strongly urge our Partners to keep up to date with USDA’s Guidance and Policies.

* Did you hear about the Arizona SNAP Experience? It’s 7 consecutive days where participants are asked to limit their food purchases to the average SNAP budget for 1 person in Arizona, $29 per week. The SNAP Experience was held this year during Arizona’s Hunger Awareness Week, September 12 – 18, and over 50 people participated! If you’re curious about the SNAP Experience, please visit our blog at http://arizonasnapexperience.wordpress.com.

ACAA has received several inquiries about the SNAP Experience from other communities interested in replicating the model. We are thrilled so many people have embraced it, and invite you to contact us if you would like more information about our SNAP Experience. We are happy to share our forms and any information you may find helpful if you are planning a SNAP Experience in your community, and hope you will share your insights and feedback with us. Please contact Katie Kahle at kkahle@azcaa.org for more information, and take a look at the Tool Kit, below!

Arizona SNAP Experience Tool-Kit

And don’t forget to check out coverage of the SNAP Experience from Channel 3 News.

* ACAA is in our second year of hosting a Fellow through the Emerson Hunger Fellowship program. Last year, Marie Lawrence joined us to help undertake an intensive research-based project related to identifying the barriers to SNAP enrollment for Arizona’s Hispanic and Latino residents. Marie’s report is available online at this link, in its slightly abbreviated version. (Large file, may take time to download.)

For the 2011 – 2012 Fellowship year, ACAA is honored to host Sarah Bagge, who will continue and expand upon the foundation created by Marie’s research and findings. We look forward to sharing more about Sarah’s work with ACAA in the coming months!

* A new report from FRAC released August 2011 highlights food insecurity rates across the nation. In discouraging news for Arizona, our state is tied for with Louisiana for the 7th highest number of food insecure households with children. Both Tucson and the Phoenix-Scottsdale-Mesa Metropolitan areas are in the top 25 most food insecure households with children when comparing 100 metropolitan areas.

To read the full report, please click this link, which will open in a new window.

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Questions about Nutrition Assistance?

Need help applying for Nutrition Assistance?

ACAA works with partners statewide to share accurate information about the program and help train individuals and agencies to assist eligible households with prescreening, the application process, facts about eligibility and more.

ACAA and our partners are happy to help you. Please contact us directly (info@azcaa.org) or reach out to one of our Partners in your community who can help. We’re adding partners all the time, and a current list can be found here: Where To Find Help In Your Area.

If you are an agency interested in partnering with ACAA and reaching out to those in need in your community, please contact Katie Kahle at kkahle@azcaa.org.

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Helpful Links and Information:

Find local retailers accepting SNAP benefits: http://www.snapretailerlocator.com/

En Español : http://www.snapretailerlocator.com/spanish/index.html

COMING SOON: Food Stamp Exeperience Tool Kit

This project was funded by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Hunger Relief Program. Points of view are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Department.” Equal Opportunity Employer/Program

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Department must make a reasonable accommodation to allow a person with a disability to take part in a program, service, or activity. For example, this means that if necessary, the Department must provide sign language interpreters for people who are deaf, a wheelchair accessible location, or enlarged print materials. It also means that the Department will take any other reasonable action that allows you to take part in and understand a program or activity, including making reasonable changes to an activity. If you believe that you will not be able to understand or take part in a program or activity because of your disability, please let us know of your disability needs in advance if at all possible. To obtain this document in an alternative format, please contact the Arizona Department of Economic Security ADA Liaison at 602-771-7500 “In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs, or disability. “To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 ( TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”