After recent news that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding would lapse due to the government shutdown, Gwinnett County has announced they are stepping up their food distribution efforts.
The county announced on Friday that they are allocating $250,000 to help families access essential food and hygiene products.
The county will use exiting annual contracts to purchase a large supply of shelf-stable food and in-demand hygiene and household items.
A zero-dollar distribution agreement will then be made with six ministries in Buford, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn and Norcross to help get the supplies to people in need.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, roughly 11.2% of households in Gwinnett are on SNAP. That’s compared to 13.9% in Hall County, 16.4% in Lumpkin County, 13.5% in White County, 10.6% in Dawson County, and 4.4% in Forsyth County for selected counties in the region.
This all comes on the heels of two federal judges ruling on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue to pay for SNAP by using emergency reserve funds.
The judges did give the administration some wiggle room on whether to fund it fully or in part for the month of November.
Roughly 1 in 8 Americans receive SNAP and it costs roughly $8-billion a month to run nationally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has $5-billion in contingency funding before they reversed course, saying they weren’t allowed to use it. Another $23-billion is apparently available for the cause as well.
“When federal safety nets are disrupted, local governments and communities have to step in,” Gwinnett Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said. “More than 90,000 Gwinnett residents rely on SNAP, and as those benefits pause, we’re doing what we can to fill the gap. What started as food distribution has become a lifeline for thousands of families.”
The items being purchased in Gwinnett include soups, cereals, peanut butter, pancake mix, fruit cups, granola bars and electrolyte drinks, along with paper towels, disinfecting wipes, laundry detergent, dish soap and other basic household needs.
Residents can pick up free food and resources at the following locations starting at 3 p.m. while supplies last:
- Nov. 4 at Lenora Park in Snellville
- Nov. 18 at Bryson Park in Lilburn
- Dec. 9 at Rock Springs Park in Lawrenceville
- Dec. 16 at Shorty Howell Park in Duluth
- Dec. 23 at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville
The county will also provide more than 450 meals to students in afterschool programs. Older adults 60 or older who are homebound, ill or incapacitated will also be able to a five-day supply of frozen meals each week through the Health and Human Services Division’s Home Delivered Meals Program. To learn more, residents can call (678) 377-4150.
“Every number we share represents a life touched,” Hendrickson said. “We’re asking the community to stay involved — donate, volunteer, or simply spread the word. Every act of kindness moves us forward.”
The post Gwinnett County allocates $250,000 for food and hygiene products as SNAP funding may lapse appeared first on AccessWdun.
