ATLANTA — On Monday, Senator Raphael Warnock visited the Goodr Community Market in Atlanta to witness firsthand the impact of the government shutdown on families dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Situated on Edgewood Avenue, this market has been serving the community for 90 days, offering affordable produce, groceries, and deli items to seniors and families who use Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

Jasmine Crowe-Houston, the founder and CEO of Goodr, highlighted the dire situation, noting that a staggering nine out of ten customers rely on SNAP benefits and are already facing significant hardships.

“Many of our seniors receive only $16 to $40 monthly in benefits. They are forced to stretch these limited resources as much as possible, often turning to food banks and other services for support,” Crowe-Houston explained.

SNAP recipients like Karen Stewart expressed how these cuts are severely affecting their daily lives, underscoring the financial strain they are experiencing.

“It’s going to impact us because there’s now money out of my pocket I would have been able to use for basics,” Stewart said.

Crowe-Houston says the market will continue to help families for free when possible, but she worries that many who depend on SNAP may go hungry.

Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use its authority to fund SNAP this month. Warnock called the shutdown a “manufactured crisis” and emphasized that food and healthcare are fundamental human rights.

Federal data shows more than 1.4 million Georgians rely on SNAP, including over 600,000 children.

The Trump administration has said it will provide partial SNAP benefits this month, meaning over 40 million Americans could see reduced payments and possible delays as the government shutdown nears a record length.