NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — State Rep. John Ray Clemmons is urging Middle Tennesseans to step in and support local food banks as families across the state grapple with the sudden loss of SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
SNAP benefits officially stopped on November 1, leaving roughly 690,000 Tennesseans without the federal food assistance they rely on. The program supports about one in every ten residents statewide. Without it, food banks and community organizations are now seeing an immediate surge in need.
Clemmons, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, says the shutdown has created a crisis for thousands of families who were already struggling to afford basic groceries. In a statement, he warned that the situation is worsening quickly:…