A high percentage of rural Tennesseans use SNAP, as funding set to dry up

Volunteers of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville are preparing to feed people impacted by SNAP cuts. Nia Hicks, center, is a TSU student preparing boxed lunches for delivery. (Photo: John Partipilo/ Tennessee Lookout)

As the funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) runs dry at the start of November, Marilyn Murrell expects a spike in those needing help from the Of One Accord Ministry’s Hancock County food bank.

Almost 20% of Hancock’s over 6,000 residents are enrolled in SNAP, data from July to September published by the state shows, the most of any Tennessee county.

“We don’t have much, but we’re going to try our best to have enough food,” said Murrell, who has volunteered at the food bank for almost a decade. “It’s sad that it’s come to this. This is America, and no family should be in this situation.” 

SNAP helps feed nearly 41 million Americans, including almost 700,000 Tennesseans. The program designed to ensure the country’s poorest residents don’t go hungry is running out of money because of the federal government shutdown. 

The impact of the sudden end of these funds will be felt across the state, but in Tennessee, many rural counties have the highest SNAP participation rates.

Rhonda Chafin, the Executive Director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, said the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the communities her organization serves have fewer grocery stores and food processing plants, which traditionally help food banks in times of need.

“We serve a population with higher food insecurity,” Chafin said. “People are giving what they can, but we’ve never faced a situation like this.”

The U.S. Congress funds SNAP, but Republicans and Democrats have been unable to reach an agreement on a short-term government funding measure, leading to the Oct. 1 shutdown and the program’s lack of funds. Democrats are pushing for any funding bill to include enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act Insurance, while Republicans have balked. 

The two sides don’t appear close to a deal. 

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Williamson County, signed on to legislation that would separately fund the SNAP program without interruption as the shutdown continues. A coalition of Democratic officials in 22 states sued the Trump administration, seeking a federal judge’s order to force the release of food assistance funds. No Tennessee official is part of the suit.

In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee declined to take any action on the funding, saying the state isn’t able to upload the funds to SNAP recipients’ cards. At the same time, state House Democrats urged Lee to call a special session to fund the program.

Chafin said Second Harvest sent Lee a letter encouraging the state to use some of its emergency cash to help. 

“They are really putting this shutdown on the backs of the poor,” Chafin said.