Georgia Residents at Risk of Weeks Without Meals Due to SNAP Application Delays
- foodfightadmin
- June 2, 2023
- SNAP, State
- ads pages
- 0 Comments
Georgia has faced a troubling trend of delays at the Department of Human Services, raising concerns among locals who rely on assistance programs. Patricia Gavel, a resident of Griffin, expressed her worry, saying, “It’s concerning to me, that something like this may happen again.”
Georgians dependent on SNAP benefits turned to investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln from Channel 2 for help when they experienced weeks long delays in receiving state issued funds for food and groceries. Gavel shared her frustration, stating, “I could not get my case manager, and I could not get the supervisor.”
Gavel diligently monitored her state SNAP benefits account for weeks after realizing she hadn’t received her food stamps for the entire month of May. This situation forced her to rely on rice and beans, despite being diabetic and advised against consuming such foods. Last November, Channel 2 Action News initially reported on the delays when individuals awaiting approvals and renewals were unable to obtain groceries in time for Thanksgiving.
Georgia Department of Human Services attributes these recurring delays to a surge in applications and a shortage of workers processing application approvals and renewals.
In March, the state submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition Service, seeking seven waivers that would enable them to utilize new technology to expedite case processing. Unfortunately, only three have been approved so far, leaving four still pending. The state released a statement on the status of these waivers: “Those have been pending for about a year, and we continue to explore ways to secure more flexibility from our federal regulators to process cases more quickly and efficiently. We appreciate our customers’ patience as we work through their cases.”
Residents affected by the delays can contact the state regarding their SNAP benefits by clicking here. The situation raises concerns about the ability of Georgia Department of Human Services to efficiently provide necessary assistance to those in need.
