cybersecdn- Georgia’s capital city (Atlanta News First) — People in Georgia who desperately need food aid could not get it in time for the holidays. The SNAP benefit holdup is an issue that the Georgia Department of Human Services is actively attempting to tackle.
As of Thursday, there are a total of 45,774 pending renewals, according to DHS. Out of these, 20,792 are late and 13,141 are awaiting state action. Charlotte Rowell, a resident of College Park, expressed her inability to put food on the table. In the days leading up to Christmas, she and her fellow Georgians worry more about feeding their families than about buying gifts.
“As a single parent, I simply cannot afford to wait three months for my food stamps,” Rowell expressed. For the past few months, Atlanta News First has covered the SNAP backlog.
The Georgia Department of Human Services has moved to speed up the application processing, according to an email sent to Atlanta News First by the agency. Rehiring former caseworkers to assist with renewal processing, increasing caseworker capacity through overtime pay, and recruiting additional Economic Support Specialist 1s are also part of the plan.
“We are working closely with those on the federal level to resolve the backlog of SNAP cases,” DHS said in an email to Atlanta News First. To make sure the backlog doesn’t come back once we fix it, we’re also trying to boost production to handle volume increases. Although these initiatives are continuing, it is important to note that all states, including Georgia, continue to face significant issues when it comes to recruiting and retention.
Many people have contacted Atlanta News First via email and phone with stories similar to this one. Not everyone has heard back about when they can expect to get the life-sustaining food help they need.
Rowell firmly believed that everyone should have access to food, calling it a need. There is currently no estimated time for when the SNAP backlog will be cleared, according to DHS. According to DHS, a list of local services is available on their website for clients who require food help immediately.
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