Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Overview

The Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food benefits to low-income households through the Alaska Quest card. 

The amount a household receives each month depends on the household's countable income and size of the household. Eligible households use SNAP benefits to buy food products from authorized stores statewide.

Eligible applicants must pass income and assets tests. 

Alaska has special rules that allow for higher SNAP benefits in rural areas, and the use of benefits to purchase certain hunting and fishing subsistence supplies.

The federal government funds 100% of the SNAP benefit. The State pays half the costs of operating SNAP in Alaska.

Who qualifies?

To qualify for SNAP you must meet the following requirements:

• Residency - Applicants must be residents of the State of Alaska.
• Age and Relationship - There are no specific age limits to receive SNAP benefits. Parents and their children 21 years old or younger living together are considered one household. Minors who apply on their own must be living independently. People living together and who purchase and prepare food together are treated as one household.
• Citizenship and Social Security Numbers - An applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, or a qualified alien to get SNAP benefits. Some legal immigrants are ineligible for SNAP benefits; however, dependents of an ineligible immigrant are often eligible. All household members must have a social security number or proof of having applied for one.
• Work - To receive SNAP benefits, most able-bodied people between 16 and 59 years old must register for work, participate in the Employment & Training Program (E&T) if offered, accept offers of employment, and cannot quit a job. In addition, unless exempt, SNAP benefits are limited to 3 months within a 36 month period for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWD’s) between the ages of 18 and 54 who are not working or participating in an approved E&T program an average of 20 hours per week.
• Other Factors - Strikers must be resource and income eligible before the day of the strike. Most college students must be working half time, enrolled in work-study, caring for young dependents, or receiving Temporary Assistance. Felons convicted of drug-related offenses are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet specific conditions. Individuals disqualified for fraud are ineligible for one year for the first offense, two years for the second offense, and permanently for the third. Dependents of disqualified or ineligible individuals may be eligible.
• Resource Test. The asset limit is $3,000 for most households and $4,500 for households containing a member who is disabled or 60 years or older.

Many types of assets are not counted such as the home you occupy and its lot, household goods, burial plots, cash value of life insurance, money in retirement savings accounts, pension plans, income producing property, 529 college savings plans, and vehicles used for an exempt reason or with an equity value under $1,500.

Countable assets include cash on hand, money in checking or savings accounts, certificates of deposit, U.S. savings bonds, stocks, bonds, property not up for sale, crowdfunding accounts, and lump-sum payments. Special rules apply to Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends.

• Income Test. SNAP does not count loans, Title IV Education Act and Bureau of Indian Affairs Grants and Awards, reimbursements, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Corporation payments to shareholders, heating or energy assistance, and earnings of children under age 18 who are in school.

Countable income includes wages, self-employment, public assistance benefits, unemployment benefits, worker's compensation, child support, Social Security benefits (SSA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), pensions, and Senior Benefits payments. Special rules apply to Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends.

• Deductions. SNAP rules allow income deductions, including a 20% deduction of gross earned income, a standard deduction of $348 given to households with one to five members and $364 given to households with six or more members, a deduction for dependent care costs if they are for a child who is a member of the SNAP household and are necessary to allow a household member to work or attend school, medical expenses over $35 for elderly or disabled household members, and a shelter/utility deduction not to exceed $1,137 for most households. There is no limit on shelter/utility deductions for households that contain an elderly or disabled individual.

How to sign up

Apply online through the Alaska Connect Portal

If you don't have an email address, a manual form is available

How to use

Once every six months you will be required to do a SNAP Interim Report. You can do this via the Alaska Connect Portal.

If you have any changes to your financial situation at any time while you are on SNAP you are required to file a Change of Report form on the Alaska Connect Portal.

If you don't have an email address, manual forms are available.

Interim Reports: The State of Alaska requires all active SNAP recipients to complete an Interim Report halfway through their certification period to confirm they are still eligible for SNAP. That means if your household is certified to receive SNAP for 12 months, your Interim Report will be due in the 6th month, and if you’re certified for 24 months, your Interim Report will be due the 12th month.

Do not complete the online SNAP Interim Report form unless you have received one in the mail. This form should not be completed prior to the month in which it is due.

If you don't have an email address or if you are helping someone else upload their documents:

Shop with your card

• Use your Quest Card at grocery stores and farmers’ markets statewide
  
  • At the Anchorage Farmers’ Market, visit the information booth to exchange your Quest Card benefits for tokens to use with participating vendors
• Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/online to find stores that accept the Quest Card online

Manage your Quest Card account

Log in to theFidelity Information Services (FIS) secure website to check your account, download statements, and change your PIN. You can also visit Your Quest Card to learn more about using your Quest Card.

If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, or if you notice an error in your account balance, call Quest Customer Service: toll-free 888-997-8111
(TTY Users Call Toll Free 800-770-8973 RELAYalaska then dial 888-997-8111)

Access your Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) Benefits

Important: By law (section 4004(c) of P.L. 112-96), a person cannot make purchases or access cash benefits on EBT cards at ATMs located in bars, liquor stores, gambling sites, or adult entertainment businesses.

• Purchases: Use your Alaska Quest Card at stores to buy items or get cash back without fees
• ATM Withdrawals: You can withdraw cash at ATMs for a $0.32 fee, though some ATMs may add an extra fee

Resources