Local and state leaders are stepping up to help snap beneficiaries
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) “This is kind of personal to me because I grew up in poverty,” said Leroy Brooks, Lowndes County Board of Supervisors Five. “We were never hungry, but there were a lot of challenges, and I am always sensitive to that.”
For Lowndes County District Five Supervisor Leroy Brooks.
“No one should have to go hungry,” said Kabir Karriem, Chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus.
And Chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Kabir Karriem, the thought of thousands of people wondering where their next meal will come from is not sitting too well.
Karriem wrote a letter to the governor declaring a state of emergency for relief efforts for SNAP beneficiaries and calling a special session for the legislature to address SNAP-related funding. He said, It is all about stepping up to make sure no one goes hungry.
” I just think it is on us to do all we can to make sure we fill in the gaps for this unfortunate government shutdown,” said Karriem.
Brooks is working with local pastors and churches to make sure families in the Golden Triangle that depend on SNAP benefits are fed.
“There are people who are seniors who may be disabled, and we have to make sure these people are taken care of,” said Brooks. “Some of them are living alone, and we have to figure out how to help these people get through this situation.”
According to the Mississippi Department of Human Services, more than 350,000 people depend on SNAP benefits. Karriem said he knows if the letter is approved by the governor, it will mean a lot for those families.
“It will be a game changer during this government shutdown,” said Karriem. “And we will not have to worry about our seniors and our children having to worry about their next meal.”
Several organizations are holding food drives to help families during the government shutdown, and area non-profits are stepping up efforts to feed those in need.
For more information on available resources, go to our website, wcbi.com.
