As of September 18, 2026, the federal government has once again changed how immigration officials decide whether some immigrants are likely to become a "public charge" when applying for lawful permanent residence (a.k.a. a green card). These changes have already created confusion and fear. Public charge rules have changed several times over the past decade, and as a result, many immigrant families are unsure whether using programs like SNAP, WIC, or TennCare Medicaid could af

Clara Clark is a resident of Montgomery County, Tennessee, where she spends her days in charge of toddlers, “Clarksville’s cutest residents,” she says. Ms. Clara moved to Clarksville three years ago, following her daughters from California. She couldn’t live in California without them. Now, she’s forced to choose to be near her family or have affordable healthcare. In California, Ms. Clara worked in the aerospace field—testing the brakes on planes, helicopters, and utility pl

“This is not what I fought for,” shares Julie. “SNAP was a lifeline when I got out of the service, but now it feels like they're making it impossible on purpose. I served my country, and I can't even serve my kids dinner.” Julie is a veteran from Memphis. He and his two children, ages 15 and 17, have lost SNAP benefits due to HR 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” After serving in the United States Army, fighting for our freedom and sustaining lifelong injuries, Ju

1 in 5 children are food insecure in Tennessee, meaning there are hungry children in every county. School meals are an important line of defense for addressing child hunger and some days, may be the only food a child eats. Research links participation in school meals to positive educational and health outcomes such as improving academic achievement, attendance, nutrition, and student behavior (FRAC). Ensuring students have a nutritious breakfast and lunch allows students to s

Amelia has been receiving support from TJC for almost three years. After leaving her job in the medical field to care for her children, she dedicated herself to protecting and advocating for them and for other children like them. After Amelia married her husband and best friend, their family was terminated from TennCare Medicaid, leaving them suddenly unable to afford life-sustaining care for their two medically complex children. Without TennCare, Amelia’s son would be confin

When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, one father knew his family could no longer stay. Steven* and his family had spent years working for an international organization supported by the United States and other global partners, helping carry out development work in Afghanistan. This work had been critical in helping to rebuild both the country and international relations after the Afghanistan war ended. When the U.S. suddenly withdrew its troops and the Tali

One of Tennessee Justice Center’s primary focuses is helping people apply for or maintain their SNAP, or food stamp, benefits. SNAP helps people with low income buy groceries each month by loading a balance based on household resources to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. With the EBT card, people are limited to purchasing only grocery items like produce, bread, and meat. An EBT card will not allow its users to buy other items like diapers, hygiene products, or alcoh

Tennessee adopted broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), which allows more working families to qualify for SNAP, streamlines eligibility & enrollment, and could help lower the upcoming SNAP benefit cost for the state. Basically, BBCE encourages work while families continue to make ends meet.

When Cassandra (“Cassie”) Doyle arrived in Nashville in December of 2025, she was seeking a fresh start. Instead, she found herself caught in a web of bureaucracy and policy changes that left her, a 61-year-old woman with serious health conditions, without the food assistance she desperately needed. Cassie’s journey began in Minnesota, where a cascade of misfortunes like job loss, depleted savings, and a failing heart forced her to leave her home. “I knew I was going to be ho

Marcous, a sweet, faith-filled 11-year-old boy, lives in a multigenerational home in Davidson County. He finds comfort in his faith and joy in reading and playing games. Marcous lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare genetic condition that mostly affects boys. Duchenne is a progressive condition with no cure. By ages 10-12, three out of four children with Duchenne lose the ability to walk. By age 20, people with Duchenne usually start experiencing heart and lung compl

In January 2026, Nan Glenn from Williamson County reached out to the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) for help with her daughter’s TennCare renewal. Her daughter, like all little kids, is a happy, joyful little girl who loves music and dance. She lives with multiple complex medical conditions, including Sotos syndrome and a congenital heart defect. Her medical journey has been long and complicated, requiring care from numerous specialists. She receives 60 hours of highly specia

Breanne and Kris Hammons have been married for 16 years and are raising four children in Williamson County, Tennessee. Both Breanne and Kris live with different forms of dwarfism, and two of their children do as well. At the heart of their home is Zacchaeus, their bright-eyed, spirited 9-year-old son with a story unlike any other. Endearingly named after the “wee little man” from one of their favorite Bible stories, Zacchaeus was born with a rare condition: he inherited both

TJC helped Alyssa's family apply for and ultimately enroll in the Katie Beckett Waiver, a Medicaid program that allows Tennessee children with significant medical needs to receive care at home rather than in an institutional setting. While the Katie Beckett Waiver provides critical support to families, its enrollment process lacks synchronization and uniformity. TJC helped Finley successfully secure a spot on the waitlist.

Did you know that TennCare Medicaid covers 50% of births in Tennessee? For thousands of pregnant women, Medicaid provides essential prenatal and postpartum coverage, allowing expecting and new mothers to focus on what matters most—their health and the health of their baby. One TennCare beneficiary is Tiairah, a proud daughter, sister, and new mother. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as hobbies like bowling, go-karting, and, as she puts it, "anything f

Tennessee's 114th General Assembly and the 2026 legislative session have officially ended. While the session did not result in increased free school meal access or a legislated requirement for Tennessee to annually opt in to the Summer EBT (S-EBT) program, the Tennessee Justice Center and our partners continue to build a road for future policy wins. Each legislative session illuminates opportunities for progress and encourages us to persevere in the fight against child hunger

In 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in the United States 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men experience sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Nearly 43.5 million women and 20.7 million men are victims of interpersonal violence at some point in their lives in this country alone. This abuse can come in many different forms. Interpersonal violence can happen anywhere, across any age, race,

For 15 years, Elisabeth was a church pianist without health insurance. She had always embraced a healthy lifestyle, so when she qualified for Medicaid in 2014, she had no idea it would end up saving her life. In early 2015, Elisabeth began experiencing troubling symptoms— confusion, depression, and eventually seizures. When a small bump to the head led to a major seizure, tests revealed a large brain tumor pressing on the upper right hemisphere of her brain. The diagnosis:

Georgia* lives in East Tennessee with her husband and their three kids. The family keeps busy. “It’s chaos,” Georgia laughs. “My husband and I are nonstop—we both work full-time. I’m actually on the way to my son’s basketball game right now.” Georgia and her husband work hard to give their kids a joyful childhood. She reflects on the journey that brought her here: “My life growing up was very different from what my kids have now. The experiences my kids are getting? I’m exper

Across the country, Americans feel the healthcare affordability crisis. Emergencies are expensive for uninsured people, and even those who are insured face high costs for various treatments and prescriptions. In Tennessee, approximately 10% of the population is uninsured (700,000 people), 1.4 million people are on Medicaid , 600,000 are insured through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace , and the rest are privately insured. Nearly three million Tennesseans—those uni

If it were not for TennCare Medicaid, Toni Corbin— recognized as a TJC Mother of the Year in 2018 —would not be able to care for her multigenerational household. While she jokes that her home is a little dysfunctional, it is also full of love — and chickens that keep her on her toes. Toni’s home is bustling with life. Her son, granddaughter, great-grandchildren, and even her aging mother all live under one roof. With her own health challenges, including severe arthritis and c