What Losing SNAP Took From Martin

“I love to cook, and I get to have fun making food I like, such as fresh veggies and even a little meat every now and then,” says Martin. He’s describing his first month with SNAP in his own apartment in Knoxville after being homeless.

Martin is 60 years old, but since he was a child, he has lived with severe anxiety and depression. These diagnoses have contributed greatly to his struggle maintaining stable work and housing. More recently, Martin was homeless for three years.

During that time, he relied on pantries and shelter meals. “At the homeless shelter, they had food for you, but there was no choice. That’s what you get at food pantries, too.” He signed up for SNAP while he was still there; in fact, helping people apply is one of the first things the shelter does.

Martin lived in that shelter for two years before being able to move into subsidized housing. Martin states that access to SNAP was integral to getting back on his feet and into stable housing.

Then the rules changed. Under HR 1, the age range for SNAP work requirements for adults without dependents was changed from 18-54 to 18-64. People in this group can only get SNAP for 3 months in a three-year period unless they complete at least 20 hours a week of work, volunteering, or a job training program.

At age 60, Martin is no longer exempt and must now meet work requirements.

However, Martin used up his three months without knowing it. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (T-DHS) sent letters, but the language of the paperwork is so complex that it left Martin unsure of what he needed to do. “The rules changed and it’s somewhat incomprehensible. I’m a smart guy, but I can’t always figure out what they want and why.” 

Martin lost his SNAP benefits in early 2026 and has been without since.

Working twenty hours a week is more than his body and mind can manage with his diagnoses. Martin volunteers at the shelter where he once lived, teaching classes to help others who are in the situation he was in. While volunteer hours count towards the work requirement, Martin’s health keeps him from meeting the 20-hour requirement.

Because he has so much trouble working, Martin applied for Social Security Disability Income; however, a pending application does not exempt one from work requirements. This approval process can take years, and meanwhile, Martin is still without food support. 

The other option is that Tennessee can exempt people from this requirement who are medically certified as mentally or physically unfit for work, but only certain professions can verify this. Martin says his doctor has her hands tied: “My doctor is perfectly willing to issue a letter saying I can’t work, but the company that she works for will not allow her to issue those letters.”

Stuck between new work requirements, disability applications, and fearful healthcare institutions, Martin is no longer able to turn to SNAP for support because he is unable to meet the work requirement.

Exasperated but still hopeful, Martin says, “The new rules seem reasonable until a person has to navigate them in practice.”