Jul. 19—With the closing of a local soup kitchen and more restrictive eligibility requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, local groups that distribute food anticipate a continued growing need.
The Harold Coomer Evangelical Society served its last meal June 30 after nearly 20 years of service to the community. Coomer said some days it saw up to 100 people, and it usually averaged around 50 for lunchtime.
“It worked out really well and met a lot of needs,” Coomer said. “It just breaks my heart that I had to give it up.”
Now, Hands Across Decatur is the only location providing hot meals to the public. Monday through Thursday, HAD offers lunch from 11 a.m. to noon. People can also receive meals to-go for dinner.
Trump’s budget bill sets up work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents to receive SNAP benefits. It will also shift a larger portion of the administrative costs from the federal government to the states. Starting in 2027, Alabama will need to cover 75%, rather than 50%, of these costs.
Furthermore, starting in 2028, if the SNAP error rate — meaning the incorrect amount was distributed to an individual or a vendor — is higher than 5%, Alabama will be responsible for part of the benefit costs. For example, an error rate of 10% would require Alabama to pay out 15% of the SNAP benefits cost for all recipients in the state.
According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, 9,653 households, representing 22,853 total participants, in Morgan, Limestone and Lawrence counties receive SNAP benefits. This means approximately 8% of people living in the area rely on SNAP, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates for 2024.
According to a press release from the White House, “the tax bill will most benefit workers and families making less than $50,000 per year.”
Alabama Arise, a nonprofit whose goal is “to improve the lives of Alabamians who are marginalized by poverty,” views the changes in a less positive light. The group thinks the cuts to SNAP will represent the “worst effects” of Trump’s bill on the state.
The group predicts administrative costs alone will be around $35 million, based on recent years’ costs, adjusted for the state covering 75% of costs.
When these administrative costs are combined with the error rate funding requirements for 2028, Arise anticipates the state will need to come up with over $200 million for SNAP.
“That’s an awful lot of money for Alabama,” said Carol Gundlach, senior policy analyst for Alabama Arise. “So we are concerned about that, especially if we end up not being able to completely fund our Medicaid program with the provider taxes. It’s not even robbing Peter to pay Paul. It’s Peter and Paul are both pretty broke. We’re very, very worried about the implications for the state budget.”
Aside from budget concerns, Gundlach said rural communities could especially be at risk. If most people in an area rely on SNAP and a portion of this group becomes ineligible, local grocery stores could lose out on profits, according to Gundlach.
“They may have to lay people off, and in much of rural Alabama — in fact, in much of Alabama — retail are the jobs that are out there,” she said. “So those retail workers are going to be at risk of losing their jobs because the stores at which they work are not going to have enough money to keep them employed. We’re really worried about losing rural grocery stores.”
Alabama Arise is still in the process of analyzing the massive tax and spending bill and gathering more information from the affected government agencies.
“Unfortunately, the federal government has told us almost nothing, and much of what they have told us is very confusing,” Gundlach said.
State-level agencies also remain in the dark for next steps.
“(The Alabama Department of Human Resources) has not been given any federal guidance on how this bill will be implemented. We are currently monitoring the updates on this bill and will act accordingly,” the department told The Decatur Daily.
Gundlach advises people who receive SNAP benefits not to panic about the lack of information.
“You’re going to be OK for a while, and you’ll get a notice when you’re not OK,” Gundlach said. “You’ll get your benefits next month in August, just like you always do.” — Other effects
Ashley Boyd, executive director for the Decatur Committee on Church Cooperation, said the number of people using the organization’s food pantry will likely rise when effects trickle down later.
“I do foresee an increase in clients, and maybe not new families that are coming in, but definitely families that maybe we were only seeing once or twice a year maybe coming in more regularly,” Boyd said. “We’re being proactive with that. We’re changing our protocols. During the summer season, families with school-aged children are able to come in monthly instead of our usual allotment.”
Past funding cuts have not lessened CCC’s caseload.
“Historically, when benefits are cut, the need still exists,” Boyd said. “So instead of the taxpayer paying for it, it just transfers into communities as a whole, and charities are always underfunded. They’re always doing more with less. It depends on how far we have to stretch that rubber band.”
Matt Richards, executive director of Tennessee Valley Outreach, also said he anticipates an increase in the number of people seeking food boxes from the group. Also expecting a domino effect, the School Nutrition Association said losing SNAP or Medicaid benefits means fewer children will be automatically eligible for free school meals.
Fewer eligible students for free meals could also mean schools aren’t able to enroll in Community Eligibility Provision, where all students receive free meals, according to SNA. Decatur City Schools said it will continue providing free meals to all students this fall.
Mary Beth Henry, Child Nutrition Director for Morgan County Schools, said the SNAP changes likely won’t affect schools until the 2026-27 school year.
“I’m hoping this year will be OK, and then maybe 26-27, I don’t know how many people will be off food stamps at that point, so it’s hard to anticipate what will happen 26-27, but that’s the next time we’ll have a drop,” Henry said.
The district experienced a decrease in the number of students receiving free meals in recent years, after an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the peak, 55% of students qualified for free meals, but the number is closer to 51% now, according to Henry. An additional 10% of students are eligible for reduced meals.
Henry said Morgan County schools will encourage families who are no longer automatically enrolled for free meals to manually fill out an application — just as it did with the post-COVID group. She hopes the USDA will adjust its free meal guidelines so people can continue to qualify.
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State legislation
In the previous legislative session, state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sponsored two bills with SNAP and Medicaid restrictions and recertifications similar to Trump’s bill. Orr has drafted a bill for the next legislative session that would ban the purchase of candy and sugary drinks using SNAP benefits.
“Most taxpayers I talk to don’t think they ought to be paying for the soft drinks and the candy of others,” Orr said. “That’s not a basic necessity for individuals. It should not be included for eligible purchases.”
Orr believes this drafted bill, the two he sponsored this year, and Trump’s bill promote responsible spending of taxpayer dollars.
“It’s accountability to the taxpayers who are funding all of the government,” Orr said. “We’re, at the federal level, in a $37 trillion deficit. The federal government is broke. …. We need the taxpayers to demand, and they should demand, accountability, and these proposals aren’t certainly too much to ask. It’s common sense to me.”
— GraciAnn.Goodin@DecaturDaily.com or 256-340-2437