As the government shutdown stretches on, millions of Americans who rely on SNAP benefits are facing growing uncertainty — including the almost 1.4 million Georgians who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to put food on the table.
For Chandra Duncan, a grandmother in Midtown Atlanta, the shutdown has hit home in the most painful way.
“I’m taking care of my grandson. His father passed away at the beginning of the year, which was my oldest son,” Duncan said. “It’s been kind of tight, being that I have an extra mouth to feed.”
Duncan is one of many Georgians caught in limbo after the temporary halt in SNAP funding. With no clear timeline for when the government will reopen, she’s been forced to find new ways to make ends meet.
“I’m learning that I have to change some things and figure out different ways — like buying in bulk,” she said. “They eat lunch at school every day, but it’s been hard just trying to adjust, not only having to take care of myself, but now I have one other person that I have to take care of because his dad is no longer with us.”
Like many Americans, Duncan initially thought the shutdown would be short-lived.
“Reality set in — hey, this thing is for real,” she said.
This week, the situation worsened when the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump administration an emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order that would have fully funded SNAP benefits during the shutdown.
“It’s terrifying,” Duncan said. “I’m really scared as to what the next couple of weeks or months are going to look like for us. The prices of food are steadily going up and there’s nothing there for us.”
With Thanksgiving approaching, Duncan says her family is planning a modest celebration by pooling their limited resources.
“As a family, we’re coming together — hey, you bring something, you bring something,” she said. “That’s what we’re having to do. We’re having to just come back together as a family, as a whole. Everybody will have to just pitch in and bring what you can bring.”
After Thanksgiving comes Christmas, and Duncan admits she’s anxious about what lies ahead. Still, she’s holding onto hope — and prayer — that the government will reopen soon.
