Key Points:
• Fulton commissioners allocated $700,000 to help fund county residents who may not receive SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
• The funds will go to existing nonprofit partners and senior nutrition programs.
Fulton County Commissioners authorized $700,000 for nonprofit organizations and senior nutrition programs as a response to the loss of SNAP benefits for county residents.
The county’s funding is intended to help fill the gap for the more than 145,000 residents whose benefits were in jeopardy. During the Nov. 5 meeting, Commission Chair Robb Pitts said the funding amount was calculated based on input from staff.
Chief Operating Officer Pamela Roshell said nine nonprofits chosen to get funds have existing contracts with Fulton County. The Community Development Department awarded more than $5 million in funding. One of the categories was economic insecurity, which includes food insecurity. The nine organizations fit that category..
“What we did is we went back to the applications that were only for food insecurity and looked at what they originally requested,” Roshell said. “Those nine organizations originally requested, $870,000 and we awarded those nine organizations $370,000 and so the difference is the 500,000.”
Three other organizations – Winter Farmers Markets, Nutritional Assistance Program, and Home Deliver Meals – will get $50,000 each.
Related Stories:
• Delays likely for distribution of government food benefits to the hungry
• Metro Atlanta food banks brace for gaps in SNAP benefits
• Solidarity Sandy Springs provides more than 1 million pounds of food annually
Winters Farmers Market provides seasonal fruits and vegetables to local residents. The Nutritional Assistance Program allows registered seniors who receive SNAP benefits to get a to-go meal at no cost when purchasing a meal at regular cost at any Fulton County Senior Multipurpose Center andHome Delivered Meals, which provides free meals that cover dietary needs to eligible Fulton County seniors who are 60 years old and older.
The resolution also directed the county’s Finance and Public Works departments to stop terminating water services of any residential customers due to nonpayment. It set the timeframe from Nov. 5 through Dec. 31, or when the federal shutdown ends.
Before two federal judges ordered the USDA to use reserve funds for the SNAP program, the Georgia Department of Human Services said that November benefits would not be sent until federal funding was approved through congressional action. The USDA said the $4.65 billion available in reserves would only fund half a month of benefits.
A resolution introduced by Commissioner Dana Barrett would have enabled County Manager Dick Anderson to use up to $4.4 million of county funds to ease food insecurity caused by the suspension of SNAP benefits. Anderson would be responsible for identifying effective strategies, partner organizations, and resource allocations to accomplish this.
Barrett’s motion to allocate up to $4.4 million failed, and the resolution proposed by Pitts to allocate $700,000 was approved. Pitt said that staff could ask the commissioners if they thought more funding was necessary.
Solidarity adds senior ‘pop-up’ market
As the commission was voting to allocate funds to ease food insecurity, Solidarity Sandy Springs planned an additional “pop-up” food market at the Dorothy Benson Senior Center to help seniors.
“After a conversation with our friends at the Dorothy Benson Senior Center, we have decided to double down to help make sure our senior neighbors have plenty in their pantries. No one needs to suffer in silence – especially when it comes to hunger,” a statement by Solidarity Sandy Springs said.
The pop-up market starts at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, at the senior center, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive NE in Sandy Springs.
Solidarity will bring fresh produce. The nonprofit organization asked community members to help with the pantry staples, including:
- canned tuna/chicken
- peanut butter/jelly
- dried or canned beans
- canned fruit and veggies – low sugar and low sodium
- protein bars
- breakfast cereal (small to medium boxes)
- soup
Donations can be dropped off Monday through Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Solidarity’s food pantry in the Sandy Springs Plaza at 6315 Roswell Road.
Monetary donations can be made online in addition to dropping off food.
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