GA Emergency SNAP Benefits Have Ended For Georgia Families

GEORGIA — As of Wednesday, Georgia households with children will no longer receive extra money for food after the state declined to submit an application that would have covered summer break and next school year’s payments.

The federal aid assisted nearly 770,000 Georgians. The‌ Georgia ‌Department‌ ‌of‌ ‌Human‌ ‌Services‌ ‌announced‌ ‌in‌ ‌early‌ ‌May‌ ‌that‌ ‌SNAP recipients would begin receiving their normal monthly allocations beginning June 1.

The Pandemic-EBT benefits enhanced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. In March 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act allowed for families to receive the emergency benefits.

According to a May 18 analysis written by Ife Finch Floyd, a senior economic justice policy analyst at the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute, many Black families and low-income households are still recovering from the economic downturn.

“Georgia is emerging from the pandemic’s economic downturn, but the recovery is unequal and the inequities that existed before the pandemic persist,” Finch wrote. “Policymakers should utilize temporary stimulus dollars as a starting point to advancing racial equity and should consider how to use state and federal resources for a vision of Georgia where Black, Brown, and white people, urbanites and long-time rural residents have a foundation for economic opportunity.”

With the most recent data showing about 1.6 million individuals on SNAP in Georgia, the end of the program could mean a loss of about $120 million in benefits, Finch said.

Poonam Gupta, a research analyst with the nonprofit think tank Urban Institute, told the Georgia Recorder that the timing will cause more hardships on families.

“It’s pretty well documented that food insecurity and hardship during the summer is heightened for low-income families with children, the ones that are used to getting free- or reduced-price meals during the school year,” he said.

Kyle Waide, President and CEO, Atlanta Community Food Bank shared a statement with Patch Thursday:

"It was our preference that we find ways to extend the expanded, enhanced SNAP benefits in Georgia. The Atlanta Community Food Bank continues to operate at elevated levels, distributing 8 million pounds of food per month compared to 6 million pounds pre-pandemic which does signal an ongoing need there in our communities. We will continue to be a resource for people experiencing the effects of decreased food benefit amounts.”

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that one in five people turned to charitable food assistance for help in the wake of the pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.