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

Two Tennessee grandparents who care for their 5 grandkids could see their SNAP benefits cut because of rules passed recently at the federal level, wiping out the support they need to feed their family. Congress has raised the age of those who are subject to work requirements for SNAP from 54 to age 64, which would force these two grandparents in Northeast Tennessee to return to work despite impossible conditions. Without SNAP, raising five grandchildren while managing chroni

*Names have been changed to safeguard the identities of those who trusted us with their stories. For people facing tough times, food...

Visiting the zoo, a museum or participating in other enrichment activities can be cost prohibitive for families with low incomes....

The State continues to fail some Tennessee families, leaving them without SNAP benefits that they are eligible to receive....

During the Federal Public Health Emergency declared for COVID-19, which ended May 11, 2023, many people applied for and received SNAP...

Tennessee’s Department of Human Services has been battling a severe SNAP application and recertification backlog since June of 2023,...

Barbara Jones wants her experience with getting TennCare to be “shared with the world.” She moved here from California in June and...

To get SNAP in Tennessee, the state assumes that one has a phone, has access to computers, an email address, and a home address. If...

Tiffany Bellamy, a Memphis mother of three who recently lost a daughter to tragedy, had her SNAP benefits stolen from her in July....

As the primary caregiver for her four grandchildren, Mrs. Elizabeth Franklin knows the importance of the federal nutrition programs for...