Thousands To Lose Food Stamps In Georgia

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Starting April 1, food stamps in Cobb, Gwinnett, and Hall Counties will come with work requirements. / Pexel

As many as 5,700 metro Atlanta residents could lose their food stamps, part of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, starting today because of a requirement that benefits recipients have jobs.

Sandra Frederick, with the Georgia Department of Human Services, said the requirement isn't new. 

“This has been around for years, and it can just come up down or whatever depending on the unemployment rate,” she said.

In the midst of the Great Recession, the requirement was waived, but Cobb, Gwinnett, and Hall counties are putting it back in place, effective April 1.

Now, able-bodied adults without children will need to get a job or enroll in workforce training in order to receive benefits. Those who don't will only receive 3 months worth of food stamps every 3 years.

Frederick said, based on data from Feb. 2016, that as many as 2,900 people could lose their benefits in Cobb County, as many as 2,300 people could in Gwinnett County, and as many as 550 people could in Hall County.

She also said the change could have a larger economic impact.

“Food stamps bring a lot of business to local economies, with grocery stores and all that,” Frederick said. “So, they basically could see a loss of dollars into the state because of thousands of people who are no longer able to buy food in grocery stores.”