Gwinnett County high school junior Jaeleon Hawkins-Jones took action to help families affected by the pause on SNAP benefits. Motivated by a belief that citizens must support one another when leadership fails, Hawkins-Jones decided to step up and raise money for food donations.
He told THV11, “What made me decide that is because if leadership isn’t going to do it, we as citizens have to step up for each other, and I knew that if I wasn’t going to do it who was.”
The 16-year-old told Fox5 Atlanta, “When leadership fails to act, regular people like us have to step up. I partnered with the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op Ministry, which is a local nonprofit organization, to give out food boxes with essentials like rice, pasta, canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, shelf-stable milk, snacks for children, things along those lines.”
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Beginning with an online fundraiser, the teen successfully raised over $2,500 to purchase food. He then established a partnership with the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op Ministry. This collaboration resulted in him distributing 40 boxes of food last week.
“I felt really happy because they honestly lit up when I saw them,” he said. “I saw the smile on their face and I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually doing something. I’m making a difference.'”
Lisa Engberg, the executive director of the Lawrenceville Co-Op, noted a significant rise in appointments last week among people needing help in Gwinnett County. The organization has seen approximately a 25% increase in clients. For instance, they served 100 clients on Friday, which is substantially higher than their typical range of 60 to 80.
“The vast majority of those are new, and about a third that walked through the door have lost their SNAP benefits,” Engberg said.
With over a million Georgians affected by the suspension of benefits, Hawkins-Jones hopes his peers in high school are inspired to assist their communities.
“If you see a problem in your community and you want to fix it, don’t think that you just have to sit back and wait for it to be fixed you can act now and you can do it,” Hawkins-Jones said.
For those seeking assistance or wanting to help, Engberg suggests visiting their website for more information and using FoodFinder to locate nearby food banks.
READ ALSO: 8-year-old organizes food drive for families amid SNAP benefit cuts
Hawkins-Jones is soon planning to hold another drive in collaboration with the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op Ministry.
“I want to show other people who are my age how important it is to get involved locally and make a difference in your community,” he explained. “I believe that it doesn’t matter how young you are, you can make a difference in this world if you actually put in the effort to try.”
Meanwhile, in response to the potential lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding due to the government shutdown, Gwinnett County is significantly increasing its food distribution efforts, according to AccessWDUN.
The county announced on Friday that it is allocating $250,000 to help families obtain essential food and hygiene products. This funding will be used through existing annual contracts to purchase a substantial inventory of shelf-stable food and high-demand hygiene and household items.
To ensure these supplies reach those in need, a zero-dollar distribution agreement will be established with six ministries located in Buford, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, and Norcross.
