For people struggling to afford food, gaining access to the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is its own challenge. They have to figure out if they’re eligible, how to sign up, and perhaps most dauntingly be willing to approach strangers at various nonprofits that can help to explain their problem. In Anchorage, Alaska, that process can now start a little more informally, with a simple text message. Residents who text “SNAP” to a designated number receive an automatic reply with a few multiple-choice options. “Hi, it’s the SNAP team at the Food Bank of Alaska. How can we help?” the message goes. A resident can then just text the letter A, B, C, or D to signal that they want to start a new SNAP application, renew their SNAP benefits, check their case status, or ask another question entirely.