ATLANTA — SNAP recipients in Georgia are facing uncertainty as they rush to spend their remaining benefits before they expire.
Despite a federal court order for the USDA to use emergency funds and a subsequent announcement by the Trump administration that SNAP benefits will be partially funded, recipients like Eureaka Middlebrooks are left uncertain about when they will receive their next round of assistance.
“I got two jobs, and my rent is $2,100 a month,” Middlebrooks said.
She relies on $1,100 in monthly benefits to help feed her six children.
“I spend mostly on meat and canned goods and things that last long,” Middlebrooks said.
Another recipient, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared their anxiety over the situation.
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“I was just freaking out because I had to go to the store the other day and just use all of them up—mostly buying meats,” the SNAP recipient said.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that more than 500,000 of Georgia’s SNAP recipients are employed, with a significant number working in the service industry and corporate jobs.
Middlebrooks, who works for a local school district and a hotel chain, is trying to shield her children from the impact of the shutdown.
“I don’t want my kids—when it rains, it pours—I don’t want them to get wet. So, I want to make sure they’re taken care of regardless,” Middlebrooks said.
As the shutdown continues, some recipients are picking up extra work and relying on food banks to get by.
While the Trump administration’s announcement offers a glimmer of hope, the timeline for when SNAP benefits will be restored remains uncertain, leaving recipients like Middlebrooks to find ways to cope in the interim.
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