11Alive reached out to advocates for community resources and support as families struggle to get answers about their SNAP benefits

ATLANTA — As families struggle to get answers about when SNAP delays in Georgia will improve, there’s a need for resources as they try to make ends meet.

“Our team is working as quickly as possible to process clients’ benefits,” a DHS spokesperson stated when 11Alive News asked what families can do to help the process. “The fastest way for [clients] to check the status of their application or renewal is by logging into their account on the Georgia Gateway website at gateway.ga.gov. The website is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Georgia Department of Human Services also pinned a list of community resources on its homepage. In addition, 11Alive reached out to advocates and experts in the community for their recommendations for families seeking answers about their SNAP case or needing help in the wake of the disruptions.  

11Alive viewers who want to speak with a reporter about the delays can email the newsroom.

Here are a few tips and resources: 

• If your SNAP application or renewal is overdue beyond 30 days, reach out to the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. A 2015 lawsuit settlement outlines a process where Georgia SNAP recipients can report DHS delays “in which a Food Stamps application was not processed as required.” Per the settlement’s terms, Georgia DHS must investigate the client’s case and report back to the center’s legal team within three days.
• Wholesome Wave Georgia is a nonprofit that serves families across the state; their SNAP connection team can access case info in the state's Gateway system to check on the status of renewals/applications. While the team can’t approve benefits, they can provide updates to clients as available.
• If you believe your SNAP case was closed due to a procedural error or disagree with the decision regarding your case, Atlanta Legal Aid recommends filing for a fair hearing. You can request a hearing by contacting your country DFCS office where you applied for benefits, by calling (877) 423-4746, or uploading a written request at . Learn more about your right to a fair hearing here and here.
• FindHelpGA.org offers support for emergency food assistance as well as other resources. Search your zip code via their website or app, or you can speak with a specialist via phone.

Where to find food banks in metro Atlanta

The largest food bank organization in metro Atlanta is the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

The food bank, according to the organization Feeding Georgia, serves the following counties:

• Fulton
• DeKalb
• Gwinnett
• Cobb
• Clayton
• Henry
• Rockdale
• Cherokee
• Bartow
• Paulding
• Douglas
• Pickens
• Fayette
• Coweta
• Heard
• Carroll
• Haralson
• Polk
• Floyd
• Spalding
• Butts
• Newton
• Walton
• Morgan

The Atlanta Community Food Bank provides an interactive map that offers locations where food is available and on what days and times food is distributed.

There are other Atlanta food banks or services that provide daily meals, including:

• Intown Food Pantry - Druid Hills Presbyterian Church Campus, 1026 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE
• Mimi's Pantry - Thomas Cole Science and Research Center, Ste. 217, 266 Lee Lane
• Collins Memorial UMC Food Pantry - 2220 Bolton Road
• HOPE Atlanta Women’s Community Kitchen - 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue
• Loaves & Fishes - 543 Cherokee Avenue SE
• Lutheran Community Food Ministry - 731 Peachtree Street NE
• Saint Francis Table - 48 M.L.K. Jr. Drive NW
• Toco Hills Community Alliance - 1790 LaVista Road
• Malachi's Storehouse (Dunwoody) - 4755 North Peachtree Road
• Community Assistance Center (Sandy Springs & Dunwoody)
  • CAC Mini-Market: 8607 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30350
  • CAC South Sandy Springs: 120 Northwood Drive NE, Suite 150, Sandy Springs, GA 30342
  • CAC Dunwoody: 5 Dunwoody Park S, Bldg 5, Suite 113, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Where to find food banks in other parts of north Georgia

Feeding Georgia offers a map that outlines which food banks cover which regions in the rest of north Georgia. Those include:

Chattanooga Area Food Bank, serving:

• Dade
• Walker
• Catoosa
• Winfield
• Murray
• Fannin
• Gilmer
• Gordon
• Chattooga

Georgia Mountain Food Bank, serving:

• Forsyth
• Hall
• Dawson
• Lumpkin
• Union

Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, serving:

• Clarke
• Towns
• Rabun
• White
• Habersham
• Stephens
• Banks
• Franklin
• Hart
• Jackson
• Madison
• Barrow
• Oconee
• Oglethorpe

For other regions of Georgia, visit the Feeding Georgia website.