Federal government shutdown could mean delays for benefits for Georgians
Benefits for Georgians in jeopardy due to shutdown
If Congress can't come to some sort of an agreement, the federal government could shut down this weekend. The impact could hit numerous people who rely on federal programs like SNAP —food stamps. A lengthy shutdown could hurt low-income Georgians who depend on that assistance.
ATLANTA - The federal government could shut down this weekend if Congress does not reach an agreement. The impact could hit hundreds of thousands of Georgians people who rely on federal programs like SNAP, also known as food stamps. A lengthy shutdown could hurt low-income Georgians who depend on that assistance.
Cassandra Alexander-Green is retired and lives on a fixed income "less than $1,000 a month."
The federal help she gets from SNAP, less than $200 a month, is a lifeline. "Those SNAP benefits are essential to people like me who are low income," Alexander-Green said.
SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides financial help for Americans who live on low incomes. About 700,000 Georgians rely on those benefits to put food on their tables. Numerous federal programs would be at risk if the government were to shut down. SNAP recipients would get their benefits in October. But a prolonged shutdown could jeopardize November benefits.
"I don’t want to think about it. But it’s something we have to think about," Alexander-Green said.
"There could be serious consequences for SNAP if this shutdown extends beyond October," said Ife Finch Floyd, Director of Economic Justice with the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. She says many families would be forced to make tough choices "having to decide between affording medicine or putting gas in the car or purchasing food."’
Finch Floyd says the impact from the loss of SNAP benefits could ripple throughout local economies. "If those were to stop, grocery stores would feel the impact as well," she said.
Alexander-Green says she doesn’t know what she would do if the shutdown delayed her November benefits. "What do you do when you don’t have what you need to survive?" she asked.