Alabama grocery stores to benefit from new food financing initiative

GETS COMING UP. GUY. JASON. THANKS. WELL, MILLIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY COULD SOON LOSE FOOD STAMPS OR WHAT’S KNOWN AS SNAP BENEFITS. ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE. BUT HELP FOR ALABAMA BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS IS ON THE WAY. WVTM 13 BRYCE AUSTIN IS JOINING US LIVE FROM A LOCAL GROCERY STORE THAT HAS MORE ON THE DELTA HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE. BRYCE. WHAT ARE CUSTOMERS SAYING ABOUT THE COST OF FOOD RIGHT NOW? YEAH, I RAN INTO A WOMAN HERE EARLIER TODAY WHO SAYS SHE DRIVES FROM WALKER COUNTY TO BIRMINGHAM JUST TO SAVE MONEY ON BACON. THIS NEW INITIATIVE AIMS TO KEEP SHOPPERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN A GOOD PLACE. FINANCIALLY. I USED TO COME TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH $200 AND HAVE A BASKET FULL, BUT RIGHT NOW I’M JUST GOING TO HAVE A CART. FULL PRICE INCREASES AT THE GROCERY STORE HAVE MEANT CUTTING BACK. NOW, EXPERTS SAY 2.4 MILLION AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY COULD LOSE FOOD STAMP BENEFITS DUE TO THE NEWLY PASSED BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL PUTTING LOWER INCOME PEOPLE AT A FURTHER DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE EVERYBODY’S NOT FORTUNATE. WE NEED GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE ON A LOT OF THINGS FOR FOOD, HEALTH CARE, ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS. GROCERY STORES IN ALABAMA CAN NOW APPLY FOR THE DELTA HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE. THE NEW FOOD INITIATIVE WILL HELP FINANCE STORES AND KEEP PRICES DOWN. WELL, IF THEY’RE GOING TO KEEP THE PRICES GOOD, YOU KNOW, AND KEEP THEM AT A LOWER RATE, IT WILL REALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY. SHOPPERS SAY THEY’RE READY TO SEE THE INITIATIVE IN ACTION. THEY BETTER JUMP ON IT BECAUSE TRUMP AIN’T PLAYING WITH US. YOU KNOW WE GOT TO GET IT TOGETHER AND GET IT RIGHT. YOU KNOW? SO IF THEY’RE GOING TO KEEP THE PRICES DOWN THEN COME AND SUPPORT THE STORE. AND THIS WAY YOU NEED TO SPEND YOUR MONEY. THERE’S MANY GROCERY STORES IN THOSE INNER CITIES AND RURAL TOWNS THAT HAVE A HIGH PERCENT OF CLIENTELE THAT ARE SNAP HOUSEHOLDS. AND SO THERE COULD BE A LOSS OF REVENUE THERE FOR THE BUSINESSES. SO THIS COULD REALLY COME IN AND HELP BOLSTER THAT. BUT IT ALSO IS HUGELY BENEFICIAL FOR THE SNAP HOUSEHOLDS BECAUSE IT KEEPS THAT CLOSE. AND PROXIMITY FOOD ACCESS POINT AVAILABLE TO THEM AND KEEPS THE FOOD AFFORDABLE. SHOPPERS SAY THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY TO BE MINDFUL OF PRICES AND LEGISLATION. VOTES BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, SO BECAUSE WE ARE OUR OWN VOICE, SO IF WE DON’T GO AND SPEAK OUT AND DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP THE PRICES AT A, YOU KNOW, AT A REASONABLE RATE, THEN WHO’S GOING TO DO IT FOR US? THE INITIATIVE IS AVAILABLE IN ALABAMA AND FOUR OTHER STATES. LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM BRYCE OLSON, WVTM 13. BRYCE. THANKS. ALABAMA SAYS MORE THAN 376,000 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED SNAP BENEFITS. MORE THAN 330,000 RECIPIENTS ARE CHILDREN. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE, YOU MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN OR AN ELIGIBLE NON-CITIZEN. THERE ARE EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD. THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS DEPENDS ON HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND GROSS INCOME. IT’S A LOT TO TAKE IN. WE HAVE LINKS WITH SPECIFIC DETAILS. AND WHILE YOU’RE THERE, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE INTERACTIVE MAP SHOWING SNAP USERS IN ALABAMA WI

Experts say 2.4 million Americans across the country could lose food stamp benefits due to the newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill”

Updated: 5:41 PM CDT Aug 14, 2025

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Millions of Americans could soon lose their food stamp benefits, known as SNAP, due to a newly passed bill, according to the Congressional Budget Office, but Alabama grocery stores can now apply for the Delta Healthy Food Financing Initiative to help keep prices down.Jenell Brunner, a shopper, expressed her concerns about rising grocery costs. She emphasized the need for government assistance, stating, “Everybody’s not fortunate, we need government assistance on a lot of things as far as food, health care, all those things.”The initiative offers a positive outlook for Alabama grocery stores, allowing them to apply for financial support to keep prices down. “Well, if they keep the prices good and keep them at a lower rate, it will really help the community,” Brunner said. She encouraged community support, adding, “They better jump on it cause Trump ain’t playing with us, you know we got to get it together and get it right, you know, so if they’re going to keep the prices down then come and support this store, this is where you need to spend your money.”Alicia Powers, managing director at Auburn University, highlighted the potential benefits for both businesses and SNAP households. “There’s many grocery stores in those inner cities and rural towns that have a high percent of clientele that are SNAP households so there could be a loss of revenue for those businesses, so this could really come in and help bolster that, but it’s also hugely beneficial for the SNAP households cause it keeps that close and proximity food access point available to them and keeps the food affordable,” Powers said.Shoppers are encouraging their community to be mindful of prices and legislation. The Delta Healthy Food Financing Initiative is currently available in Alabama and four other states.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

Jenell Brunner, a shopper, expressed her concerns about rising grocery costs. She emphasized the need for government assistance, stating, “Everybody’s not fortunate, we need government assistance on a lot of things as far as food, health care, all those things.”

The initiative offers a positive outlook for Alabama grocery stores, allowing them to apply for financial support to keep prices down.

“Well, if they keep the prices good and keep them at a lower rate, it will really help the community,” Brunner said. She encouraged community support, adding, “They better jump on it cause Trump ain’t playing with us, you know we got to get it together and get it right, you know, so if they’re going to keep the prices down then come and support this store, this is where you need to spend your money.”

Alicia Powers, managing director at Auburn University, highlighted the potential benefits for both businesses and SNAP households.

“There’s many grocery stores in those inner cities and rural towns that have a high percent of clientele that are SNAP households so there could be a loss of revenue for those businesses, so this could really come in and help bolster that, but it’s also hugely beneficial for the SNAP households cause it keeps that close and proximity food access point available to them and keeps the food affordable,” Powers said.

Shoppers are encouraging their community to be mindful of prices and legislation. The Delta Healthy Food Financing Initiative is currently available in Alabama and four other states.