The city of Jacksonville is working with local hunger assistance organizations to care for residents who have seen their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits cut during the federal government shutdown.
The Duval Care Coalition, which the city introduced during a Nov. 5 media event, comprises dozens of local faith-based organizations, nonprofits and food banks that are experiencing increased demand for their services with SNAP benefits slashed for an estimated 160,000 Jacksonville residents.
“We are made up of faith leaders, nonprofits and community partners on the front lines of hunger relief,” Mayor Donna Deegan said during the event.
“Together we are breaking down silos, (which is) so important in this work, and creating a blueprint to solve our short- and long-term quality of life challenges.”
Deegan did not commit to offering city funding for any of the organizations in the coalition, but said options of providing public funds to nonprofits should be on the table.
“We were just putting this coalition together,” Deegan said. “We can’t be the answer to everything, but if there is a quality of life issue in our community that is not being addressed by the private sector, that’s our job to address that issue for our citizens.”
SNAP, a federally funded program that supplements low-income households’ food budgets, stopped distributing full funds at the end of October as a federal government shutdown reached the one-month mark.
President Donald Trump’s administration committed to partial funding of SNAP benefits after a court ruling ordered the government to continue its payments to states, which administer the program.
JEA will provide financial assistance during the shutdown, the city owned utility announced just after the media event. The city owned utility will not apply any late fees for any customers beginning Nov. 6 until further notice.
JEA also modified criteria for customers to qualify for short-term payment extensions and payment arrangements.
The utility said the criteria will increase the number of customers who can take more time to pay their balance over a series of monthly installments.
Deegan was joined at the Nov. 5 event by Council members Ken Amaro and Ju’Coby Pittman, whose districts are among those heavily impacted by the SNAP cuts.
Pittman’s district, which encompasses neighborhoods in north and west Jacksonville, has the most residents reliant on SNAP benefits.
Amaro’s district, which includes Arlington, has the third-most.
“I come to you today not with any easy answers, because I don’t have them, but I come with a heart full of compassion,” Amaro said. “What we’re seeing is more than a policy issue, folks. It’s a human thing. It’s real people just like you and I.”
Those interested in contributing to the organizations in the Duval Care Coalition can find where to donate at https://www.jacksonville.gov/snap.