SAVANNAH, Ga. () – A federal judge blocked a Trump administration temporary freeze on federal grants and loans Tuesday, but local organizations are still bracing for potential changes.

“I woke up to texts blowing up my phone learning about the pause in federal grant funding,” Kate Blair, Executive Director of Brightside Child and Family Advocacy, said. “This isn’t just a decision made on a piece of paper. This isn’t just a decision made in D.C. This is a decision that’s going to impact a child in foster care, more than 300 children in foster care in this community alone. These dollars impact all of them, our most vulnerable.”

Local non-profits say the potential for a pause in federal funding has led to uncertainty.

“Hearing the desperation and the dear in our clients’ voices is heartbreaking. So, I just hope that we can move forward and know that they’re going to be fed,” Patti Lyons, President of Senior Citizens Inc., a group that provides meals to low-income seniors, said.

Though the White House has said the pause won’t affect food stamps, community leaders say that doesn’t mean people won’t go hungry.

“These services, they keep people out of the hospital, keep them alive, keep them safe. So, I can’t believe this is going to be a long-term solution,” Lyons said.

“Many non-profits also help individuals navigate those systems. So, while it may not affect food stamps, it certainly affects people’s ability to even access those food stamps because the system is very complicated and difficult,” Blair said.

Under the temporarily blocked mandate, the state of free and reduced school lunch programs lies in the balance as well.

In response to a request for comment, Savannah Chatham County Public Schools said in part, “Any direct impacts would depend on the scope and specific provisions of the pause, to which remain unclear at this time.”

However, the mandate wouldn’t just affect access to programs that combat food insecurity.

“We have a Department of Justice grant that supports survivors of human trafficking, and we rely on that to make payroll, to meet operations. To think that those funds suddenly with the stroke of a pen would be unavailable to us is very, very alarming,” Julie Wade, Executive Director of Tharros Place, said.

Wade is concerned there is an agenda behind Trump’s latest memo.

“Programs like DEI and transgender policies help support these young people as they’re dealing with these unimaginable consequences. So, we will not be bullied into getting rid of our value system,” she said.