Gwinnett, DeKalb press ahead with plans for food aid despite court orders

While two federal judges simultaneously ruled Friday that the Trump administration must continue to fund food assistance during the government shutdown, Gwinnett County was simultaneously announcing a $250,000 allocation for food and toiletries.

DeKalb County also promised its commissioners would consider additional funding next week.

The immediate impact of the federal court rulings is unclear. Both counties said their plans were still in effect.

“We’re going to press forward because it’s our job to help people in need,” Gwinnett spokesperson Deborah Tuff said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, so we’re stepping up for the community.”

With about 1 million residents, Gwinnett is Georgia’s second most populous county. More than 90,000 county residents rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said.

“When federal safety nets are disrupted, local governments and communities have to step in,” Hendrickson said in a news release.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had announced plans to freeze SNAP payments Saturday because of the government shutdown. Federal judges said Friday the administration must use contingency funds for the program, but appeals are likely. There might also be a delay in reloading SNAP recipients’ debit cards.

Gwinnett County will use existing contracts to buy shelf-stable food, hygiene products and other household goods, according to the news release. Cooperative ministries in Buford, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn and Norcross will distribute them, the county said. Residents in need are encouraged to schedule appointments for assistance with their local co-ops.

Gwinnett also announced five distribution events throughout November and December.

The Atlanta Community Bank announced earlier this week it would take $5 million out of reserves to buy an additional six million pounds of food over four weeks. The food bank distributes grocery items directly, and to partner organizations throughout metro Atlanta. Pantries are listed on the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Pantry Map.

“Our goal is to meet people with dignity and make it a little easier for families to get by,” Gwinnett County Community Services Director Lindsey Jorstad said in the news release.

Examples of items Gwinnett will distribute include soups, cereals, peanut butter, pancake mix, fruit cups, granola bars, electrolyte drinks, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, laundry detergent, dish soap and other basic household needs.

Gwinnett has already hosted 42 mobile food distributions this year and served 334,000 meals to more than 64,000 residents. Residents can sign up for other services at the distribution events, such as free smoke detector installation, plumbing and water-saving help for low-income households and assistance with housing, health care and employment.

Volunteers prepare to load food from the Atlanta Food Bank during Volunteer Gwinnett's Mobile Food Distribution program. (Courtesy Gwinnett County)

Gwinnett will also provide more than 450 meals to students in county-run after school programs during school breaks. The county will keep working to identify more funding sources for food assistance, according to the news release.

“We’re asking the community to stay involved — donate, volunteer, or simply spread the word,” Hendrickson said. “Every act of kindness moves us forward.”

In DeKalb County, about 127,000 residents receive SNAP benefits. The county promised more information next Wednesday, including a resource guide and “expanded food security initiatives,” according to a news release.

“Though we are encouraged to see the legal process functioning as it should, as a county, we remain focused on preparing for all potential outcomes amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding federal funding,” DeKalb County spokesperson Dionna Smith said in an email. “We remain committed to taking care of our residents and ensuring that families who rely on these benefits are supported through any disruption.”

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said the county is "committed to doing everything within our power to support families, children, seniors, and all of our residents in need during this uncertain time." (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

The county is also exploring opportunities to eliminate school meal balances known as “lunch debt,” the news release said.

DeKalb is telling people facing difficulty with water payments to contact its new Water Rate Assistance Program managed by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. People who have lost jobs because of the federal shutdown can also contact the county to stop payments while unemployed.