To:

The Honorable Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama
Members of the Alabama State Legislature
Commissioner Nancy Buckner, Alabama Department of Human Resources
All relevant state and local officials overseeing public assistance programs.

My name is LaBrittany Rutledge-Robinson, and I am a mother, entrepreneur, and advocate for underserved communities in Alabama. I created this petition because I am deeply concerned about the alarming rise in EBT benefit theft and the devastating impact it is having on families across our state.

In recent months, I have witnessed — through both personal connections and the clients I serve — the heartbreaking reality of families losing their food assistance benefits due to theft, with no system in place to replace them. These are not isolated incidents. This is becoming a statewide crisis.

 
Introduction
We, the undersigned citizens of the State of Alabama, come together to urgently call upon our elected leaders to address a growing crisis that is devastating families across our communities: the widespread theft of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) funds — including SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits — and the state’s refusal to replace them.

This issue is not just a matter of inconvenience. It is a matter of survival.

Right now, in Alabama, thousands of innocent families are waking up to find their food assistance benefits stolen through no fault of their own. Whether through card skimming, data breaches, or digital fraud, these stolen funds are not being replaced, leaving families with no way to feed their children, no recourse for justice, and no support from the very systems that are supposed to protect them.

 
The Reality on the Ground
Families across the state have reported their EBT benefits being drained overnight. These benefits are often the only thing keeping food on the table for single mothers, elderly residents, people with disabilities, and children living in poverty.

Here’s what this looks like in real life:

A mother of three wakes up to find her balance at $0. She still has two weeks left in the month and no way to replace the food her family needs.
A disabled senior who depends on EBT for groceries is told by DHR: “We can’t help you. File a police report.”
Families who are already living paycheck-to-paycheck are now forced to skip meals, rely on food pantries, or go hungry altogether because someone else stole what little they had.
And the worst part? Nothing is being done.

 
A State-Wide Failure of Justice
While other states have implemented systems to replace stolen benefits using federal funds — Alabama has failed to act.

In 2023, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, allowing states to use federal money to replace stolen SNAP benefits. The USDA even provides guidance and reimbursement.

States like California, Texas, Georgia, New York, and Massachusetts have put solutions in place. Alabama, however, has refused to develop a policy to help its residents — even though the funding is available and the need is urgent.

This is not just a policy gap. It is a moral failing. No one should go hungry because of government inaction.

 
Why This Matters
Food insecurity is already a crisis in Alabama. According to Feeding America, more than 16% of Alabama households are food insecure, with even higher rates in low-income and rural areas. For these families, SNAP benefits are a lifeline.

When those benefits are stolen and not replaced, families are forced to choose between:

Food and rent
Food and utilities
Food and medicine
Or food and nothing at all
This petition is about more than just stolen funds. It is about dignity, survival, and the right to eat.

 
What We Demand
We are calling on the State of Alabama to act immediately and take the following steps:

1. Create a formal reimbursement system
Develop a streamlined system to allow victims of EBT theft to report stolen benefits and receive replacement funds within 5–10 business days.

2. Use available federal funds
Utilize the funding authorized through the Consolidated Appropriations Act to reimburse affected families, with no additional burden on state resources.

3. Strengthen fraud prevention
Invest in chip-enabled EBT cards, secure transaction systems, and public education on avoiding skimming and phishing scams.

4. Increase DHR accountability
Require clear guidelines, tracking of reports, and monthly transparency updates on how many EBT fraud cases have been filed, resolved, and reimbursed.

5. Protect our children
Prioritize cases involving families with minors, seniors, and individuals with disabilities for expedited assistance.

 
Who We Are
We are Alabama residents who care. We are the working poor. We are single mothers, grandparents, caregivers, disabled citizens, and frontline workers. Many of us are recipients of EBT benefits ourselves. Others are advocates, neighbors, and community leaders who believe that food is a basic human right — not a privilege.

We are not asking for handouts. We are demanding justice for stolen property and support for struggling families.

Respectfully Submitted,

LaBrittany Rutledge and the citizens of the State of Alabama