FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — President Donald Trump signaled today that his administration might find a solution to fund federal food benefits, potentially averting a crisis for 750,000 people in north Georgia who are at risk of losing assistance on Nov. 1.
The Community Assistance Center in Sandy Springs is preparing for a significant increase in demand, anticipating up to a 30% rise in people seeking help if SNAP benefits end. The center’s CEO, Francis Horton, expressed uncertainty about the future, saying they are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
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“If those benefits are taken away, they’ve got to buy food from somewhere, so it’s going to come from rent, it’s going to come from what they were going to spend on clothing for their children. We can help them with both,” said Horton.
Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts warned Channel 2’s Richard Elliot of a crisis, noting that ending SNAP benefits would affect 146,000 residents, nearly 14% of the county’s population.
“That means then if our government in Washington thinks this shutdown doesn’t have real consequences, then they have their heads in the sand and in some cases, in my opinion, have lost their damned minds,” Pitts said.
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Volunteers at the Community Assistance Center are working diligently to stock their food pantry in anticipation of increased demand. The center is bracing for a potential surge in need as SNAP benefits might end over the weekend.
Pitts, during an impromptu news conference, directed county officials to find up to a million dollars to support the 146,000 Fulton County residents who rely on SNAP benefits.
He also mentioned that if the shutdown continues for another month, he would request the governor to use some of the state surplus to supplement SNAP benefits, although state officials have indicated logistical challenges in doing so.
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