Oh, SNAP!

Between the SNAP backlog, rising grocery prices and stagnant wages, it’s getting harder and harder for Tennesseans to put food on the table.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services oversees the distribution of SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits for low-income folks in Tennessee. Last year, DHS implemented a new application processing system for the first time since 1992 — the same year of the L.A. riots, Barney and Friends‘ debut, and President George H.W. Bush projectile vomiting in the lap of the Japanese Prime Minister. In the process of transitioning to the new system, there were quite a few technological snafus. Existing SNAP benefits recipients’ applications weren’t properly carried over, leading to DHS falling behind. The federal government mandates that DHS must either certify or reject an application in 30 days, and at the peak, there over 50,000 Tennesseeans whose applications were not processed in that window. Some people waited as long as four months for a decision. 

While DHS is on track to be caught up sooner rather than later, people have had to scramble in the meantime to feed themselves and their families. Further, those in the lowest income brackets are already struggling with the benefits backlog, but then there is the added stress of inflation—making groceries unaffordable for even people in the middle class. We’ll talk about food costs, accessibility and affordability by looking at SNAP, the bill to end grocery taxes in Tennessee, and food waste programs.

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton. Special thanks to Ken Jobe. 

Guests: 

• Signe Anderson, Senior Director of Nutrition Advocacy at Tennessee Justice Center 
• Jules, social work graduate student
• Rae Ruohonen, SNAP recipient
• Ladevia Hartsfield and Althea Hartsfield, SNAP recipients
• Pastor Greg Bullard, pastor at Covenant of the Cross