Atlanta area food bank says they can not act as long-term replacement for SNAP shortage

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Roughly one in eight Georgians rely on SNAP to help them put food on the table every month.

This time next week that federal benefit will dry up of the government is not funded.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank serves 29 counties in Northeast Georgia.

Now more than ever, the food stocking their shelves is needed by their 700 partner food pantries.

“Our worry right now is that we’re already responding to record levels of need in our community today pre-federal government shutdown,” Jon West, Vice President of Partner Relations at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said.

West said Atlanta Community Food Bank is serving 70% more people than they were three years ago; if the federal government doesn’t reopen there will be an even greater need, but the cost of SNAP is too high to shoulder even as a stopgap.

“Here in Georgia that equates to about $250 million every month and that’s about the value of the food we might distribute in a whole year so being able to fill that gap is just something that food banks aren’t built for,” West said.”

If SNAP remains unfunded, it’s another hoop the Atlanta Community Food Bank will have to jump through because of decisions made in Washington D.C.

“Product we had been counting on to fill out our warehouse this year wasn’t available,” West said.

Earlier this year around $10 million of food did not arrive due to a half a billion dollar project cut by the USDA.

West said about 60% of their food inventory is donated and they’re already working on bringing in as much food as they can in anticipation of a SNAP shortfall.

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