Whether I’m at the grocery store or ordering food for my restaurants, my bills are going up – and I’m sure yours are, too.
This has been the slowest summer I’ve experienced since we opened Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, and I completely understand why: food prices keep getting higher, and everyone’s watching what they spend.
Restaurants are feeling the pinch on both sides, with rising food prices and declining sales. It will not be a surprise to see some great restaurants closing in the next few months.
While that is a sad reality for our industry, I know that people who are already struggling financially will really feel the burden this winter.
A new law went into effect on November 1 that makes it harder for people to enroll in SNAP benefits – commonly known as food stamps.
That means the safety net that’s supposed to help people during hard economic times will have bigger holes, and more people will fall through the cracks.
Tina, a mother of 3, shared her story about losing SNAP benefits. “It’s been harder to afford healthy meals without the SNAP benefits,” said Tina. “I have to budget tighter and either eat cheap or go hungry.”
This has all been made worse by the government shutdown. Thousands of people were furloughed or lost their jobs, and important benefits – including SNAP – were delayed.
I recently served as the Chef Host at Wholesome Wave Georgia’s annual fundraiser, Southern Chefs Potluck, which drove home the importance of getting healthy food from local farmers to Georgia families in need. Specifically, WWG works with small farmers to double the value of SNAP on healthy, locally grown food.
Unfortunately, they’ve faced numerous funding challenges this year. $200 billion was cut from SNAP over the next few years, and their program was temporarily suspended during the federal shutdown.
With the federal government pulling back, it’s critical for us to step up for Georgia farmers and families. Why should small farmers and financially strapped families pay the price for tariffs and tax cuts?
I am proud to support Wholesome Wave Georgia on Giving Tuesday on December 3 – and I hope you’ll consider joining me by making a donation to their campaign.
Together, we can make a difference in our communities. It’s more important than ever that we stand up for what we believe in.
