Tennesseans can’t put food on the table due to a state system upgrade. It’s created a major backlog in processing food stamp applications.
A single mom named Missy applied for SNAP benefits when she lost her job. She asked us to use her first name for privacy reasons.
Now, her application is stuck in a pile due to a backlog following a system upgrade this summer.
“It’s very frustrating to see OK — should I pay rent, or should I purchase food?” Missy said. “I just wish they never would have done that.”
She’s been to the SNAP benefits office multiple times and took photos of people sitting on the floor waiting. One day she spent longer than four hours waiting at the SNAP office. Then, she went to another office where she found out her application was still pending.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services is now trying to call 35,000 people who are waiting for their applications to be processed. Commissioner Clarence Carter was questioned by state lawmakers about it, with some lawmakers pointing to previous NewsChannel 5 reporting on this problem.