Arizona prepares for early issuance of February SNAP benefits

The Arizona Department of Economic Security is preparing to issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to nearly 320,000 Arizona families, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

The one-time early benefit is an opportunity to provide SNAP benefits during the partial government shutdown.

The distribution will begin on Thursday, January 17, for the month of February.

According to the USDA and the DES, in Arizona SNAP benefits are usually issued to households according to an alphabetical schedule over a 13-day period throughout the month.

Arizona will stagger the availability of the February SNAP benefits to eligible households during a four-day period in January, based on the first letter of the family’s last name:

1/17: A – F

1/18: G – L

1/19: M – R

1/20: S – Z