Arizona Loses 461,000 SNAP Beneficiaries in 11 Months

For the first time, more Arizonans visit food banks each month than receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The state lost 461,000 SNAP recipients between July 2025 and June 2026. This represents a 52% drop in enrollment. It is the steepest decline in the United States. Nevada recorded the next-highest drop at 23%.

Phoenix Rescue Mission sees 40% more people seeking food on average. Some months have seen increases exceed 50%. Jonathon Molina, the director of distribution, notes that more than a third of pantry users are first-timers. The nonprofit serves between 250 and 300 households five days a week from its Glendale food bank. It also operates mobile pantries, such as the one at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Laveen that has run since 2022.

The federal government implemented major changes to SNAP through the One Big Beautiful Bill last summer. The legislation introduced new work requirements and shifted administrative costs to states. Anti-hunger groups estimate the program will lose $186 billion in funding over the next decade. This follows the cancellation of $1 billion in funding for schools and food banks in 2025. The White House described the changes as necessary to reduce a bloated government program.

Arizona’s loss of beneficiaries accelerated after the state Department of Economic Security laid off 5% of its staff. This occurred weeks before the federal bill was signed. Director Michael Wisehart cited the elimination of federal grants and shifted costs as the reason for the cuts. The agency dropped more than 3 million calls between October 2024 and March 2026. During that same period, it denied more than half of applicants because they failed to complete eligibility interviews.

Dana Trumbull, a SNAP specialist at United Food Bank in Mesa, reviews rejected applications. She states that people who qualify are being declined on technicalities. The new rules have made state agencies very picky about every detail. Missing information that was previously overlooked can now jeopardize an entire application. Trumbull observes that many people have given up due to the red tape.

The state budget signed by Gov. Katie Hobbs in June includes $11 million for food banks and schools. It also allocates $10.8 million to cover the state’s larger share of SNAP administrative costs. Nearly 29,000 Arizonans were added to the program between June and September. DES reports that a new callback process is helping staff work overtime to catch up on cases.