November 3, 2025
The drive helped out families as SNAP funding remains in question.
Thousands of people waited in line to receive free boxes of food from a famed Metro Atlanta Church as SNAP goes dark.
NewBirth Missionary Baptist Church, led by Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant, hosted the free food drive Nov. 1, the day that SNAP officially ran out of funding due to the government shutdown. The church hopes to alleviate some food concerns for Metro Atlanta families as the assistance programs hits pause.
According to 11Alive, one woman sat in her car for 14 hours to make sure her family received the crucial box. The mother said that the shutdown added to a growing list of hardships she and her loved ones now face.
“We got here about 7:30 p.m.,” said Lasheika Carter to the news outlet. “With the government shutdown and hardships on a lot of families, we just have to do what we have to do to make sure we have what we need.”
Supported by hundreds of volunteers, over 2,000 families waited in line in the hopes of obtaining a box. Across the country, SNAP recipients are facing new challenges as the shutdown leaves them with limited options, especially as the government’s reopening remains stalled.
Other mothers like Carter used SNAP to ensure their families had meals in their homes. With SNAP funding in question , local initiatives like NewBirth’s have sprung up to pick up the slack and ensure children don’t go hungry.
“Why in the world do we have to sit here trying to get us some food for us to be able to eat,” added Kerry Ruffin, a veteran who served in the U.S. military for eight years. “At least some people care about other people, and the fact what these people are doing a great job being able to try and help people find something to eat.”
Ruffin relied on SNAP to help him navigate his fixed income since retiring from the armed forces. Now, he also waits in line to receive assistance as SNAP once supported 1 in 8 Americans, as reported by CNN.
Dr. Jamal Bryant also encouraged his congregation to come together and support those facing food insecurity. He used his platform to share resources for those relying on SNAP payments to purchase groceries.
“It in unconscionable that we have reached this point over political gain,” expressed Pastor Bryant in the video.
He encouraged all people, regardless of membership to the church, to come and receive charitable assistance that should be provided by the government.
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