TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As fewer Floridians receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food banks in the Big Bend say the need for help is not going away — and more people are showing up for the first time.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show Florida had about 2.3 million SNAP participants in May 2026, about 558,000 fewer than in July of 2025. Georgia also saw a steep decline over the same period, losing more than 700,000 participants.
Gina Plata-Nino, director of SNAP policy and advocacy at the Food Research and Action Center, said the drop is happening too quickly to be explained by a strong economy alone…