Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia launched a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach Program Sept. 1. This program aims to help provide SNAP application assistance to low-income families applying for benefits and increase awareness of the SNAP Program.
“When you are around the table for dinner with your family, there is a critical and distinct difference between what is not enough food, and what is enough. For many, SNAP benefits provide the tipping point toward being able to provide adequate nutrition for their children and families. Simply, it gives them just enough, and opportunity to secure more nutritious food. For this reason, we are thrilled to launch our SNAP Outreach program as part of our strategy to end food insecurity in Northeast Georgia,” said Food Bank chief executive officer Erin Barger.
SNAP is a federal nutrition program from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program provides eligible families and individuals the ability to purchase food using an Electronic Balance Transfer (EBT) card, that works like a debit card, at retailers accepting EBT. This program was previously called and is often still referred to as The Georgia Food Stamp Program. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is the first organization in their service area to be approved to fully enroll participants in the program.
Northeast Georgia has a SNAP gap of $17.5 million, which means hundreds of people in our community are eligible for SNAP but are not currently enrolled. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is aiming to close this gap with the launch of this new program. Criteria for possibly qualifying for the SNAP Program include working part-time, working for minimum wage, being unemployed, receiving other public assistance, being elderly, being disabled or being homeless.
For SNAP assistance please contact SNAP@foodbanknega.org, and for more information about SNAP and other ways to help end hunger in Northeast Georgia contact the Food Bank at (706) 354-8191 or visit www.foodbanknega.org.