As thousands face a lapse in food benefits, folks brace for impact
Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans are expected to lose access to food assistance beginning Nov. 1 as the federal government shutdown drags into its fourth week, halting funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
In a press release on Oct. 30, Gov. Bill Lee blamed Democrats for the impasse and announced the launch of a new website, FeedTN.org, which he said will “connect Tennesseans with resources and opportunities to serve.” The site compiles information on statewide food resources and volunteer opportunities.
Lee’s statement did not address why Tennessee isn’t tapping into its nearly $2 billion rainy-day fund to provide temporary food aid. Instead, the governor’s office said the state lacks the ability to distribute SNAP dollars directly: “The SNAP program is federally funded and operated, and Tennessee is unable to utilize state dollars to provide the benefit, as states do not have a mechanism to load benefits onto customer cards.”
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) posted a similar message, noting that “if the federal government shutdown continues, federally-funded SNAP benefits for November will be unavailable.” SNAP, which provides grocery assistance to nearly 700,000 Tennesseans, is one of the most widely used federal programs in the state.
For many food banks and mutual aid groups, that cutoff could mean an immediate crisis. One of the state’s largest resources for folks in need of food is Second Harvest Food Bank. President & CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee Nancy Keil wrote in a memo that this lapse in benefits is “one of the most serious challenges in recent memory.” While the state and others continue to push food banks as a temporary solution, Keil writes that the lapse in benefits will go so much further beyond that.
“The ripple effects will be felt far and wide, impacting families, grocery stores, farmers and food producers alike,” Keil writes. “When SNAP dollars disappear, the loss touches every corner of our community. This crisis follows earlier federal cuts that reduced our USDA food supply by 30 percent and eliminated $3 million in funding for local food purchasing programs. These setbacks have created a compounding challenge: less food is available just as more families are turning to us for help. And as we’ve seen time and again, hunger doesn’t wait.”
In rural communities, they’re expecting to see higher client intake as a direct result. The TN Lookout writes that one in five residents depend on SNAP in rural communities compared to the average of one in 10 across the state. A food bank volunteer in Hancock County named Marilyn Murrell told them she expects a flood of new clients. “We don’t have much, but we’re going to try our best to have enough food,” Murrell said. “It’s sad that it’s come to this. This is America, and no family should be in this situation.”
Advocates also warn that the timing could not be worse. Even if the shutdown ends before November, new federal work requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) are scheduled to take effect, restricting SNAP eligibility to just three months in a three-year period unless recipients work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 20 hours a week.
For people experiencing homelessness, who were previously exempt, the new rules could mean losing their only reliable source of food.
“It’s extremely difficult to maintain employment while experiencing homelessness,” nonprofit Open Table Nashville said in a statement. “Cutting off access to food sources makes that even more difficult. It is cruel and unnecessary.”
The nonprofit said it plans to provide grocery gift cards and food bag deliveries in the coming weeks to meet the need for food.
Advocates like Sarah Champion, who works on homeless outreach at the community center The Allsorts Lobby and on the housing team at The Contributor, also point to the importance of real community and not just donations to bigger food distribution centers.
“People who are disabled and use the bus for transport are going to have a really hard time going for a week or a month and taking it on the bus and getting back to their house,” Champion uses as an example in a social media post.
Another example are unhoused people, who often don’t have a way to store or cook food, and rely on food stamps for prepared foods, which don’t often come in a food box from food pantries. There’s also the fact that some pantries require identification, which may not be possible for some people living on the streets.
“While I think it’s great to donate,” she says. “Frankly I’m still scared for what’s to come, and want to throw out that my crew will have come on a year of feeding people weekly … We need all hands on deck and more than just donations, [we need] people actively helping people access food.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of Democratic officials from 22 states has sued the Trump administration, seeking a court order to force the release of food assistance funds. No Tennessee officials have joined the suit. State House Democrats have urged Gov. Lee to call a special session to fund the program, while U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has signed on to legislation that would fund SNAP separately during the shutdown.
In Tennessee, the average family receiving SNAP gets about $340 a month to buy groceries — often already just enough to make ends meet. Without it, many will go hungry.