Amid the continuing government shutdown, filmmaker Tyler Perry, 56, is stepping in to address food insecurity. He has exclusively donated almost $1.4 million to various organizations to support families that will be affected by the impending loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for Americans.
The recipient organizations include Atlanta Community Food Bank, Baby2Baby, Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Caring for Others, All for Lunch, Ron Clark Academy, and Goodr.
“If you’ve never been poor then you may not fully understand the life changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people, to our seniors and to our children,” the Madea director and star told People in a statement. “For millions of people, it could mean extreme hunger. For newborns, it could mean a lack of access to formula.”
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According to an October 18 letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to provide food benefits to low-income families. This is intended to supplement their grocery budget, ensuring they can afford the nutritious food necessary for their health and well-being.
A projection from the USDA indicates a potential lack of federal funding to cover all SNAP benefits for November. As a result of this announcement, roughly 42 million Americans are at risk of losing their benefits.
Having openly discussed his own childhood struggles with trauma and homelessness, Perry described the reduction of essential food assistance as “heartbreaking.” He said, “Compassion is not political, it’s humanity, and we seem to be missing both right now.”
“Tyler knows firsthand what it feels like to be hungry and homeless,” a source close to the filmmaker told People. “Though he has achieved so much, those feelings never leave you. And when he sees injustices like this, he always feels compelled to help. He is absolutely devastated by what is happening to so many people.”
The government shutdown, which started on October 1, reached a 35-day mark on November 5, making it the longest in U.S. history, surpassing a previous record set during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Food critic Keith Lee is one of several celebrities taking action to help vulnerable families affected by the shutdown’s impact. He recently started an initiative to ensure individuals relying on SNAP benefits continue to have food.
According to AfroTech, Lee has been open about his personal history, sharing that when he first began posting videos on TikTok, he was filming meals he prepared for his wife using food stamps and gift cards he received. At that time, the food influencer managed his struggles with social anxiety by preparing meals, engaging in conversations, and distributing food to those in need.
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“How was I buying that food to make meals for the less fortunate? On food stamps and gift cards that people was giving me,” he explained in a TikTok video.
Now, Lee is calling on the many brands he has collaborated with on social impact initiatives to join him in his latest effort: providing free meals to those facing food insecurity.
“I refuse to take any money. I don’t want no money. I don’t want no nothing. I don’t want no partnership when it comes to this,” he said in a TikTok video. “I want this to be specifically about the families we feeding and the holidays, that we making the holidays and the families that we able to take care of. That’s all I care about.”
“It’s about these babies. It’s about their holidays,” he continued. “And we want to make sure that we are supporting the families in this holiday. So if you are a brand, and you want to be a part of it, I’ll see you in the comments. God bless you.”
Since Lee posted the video in early November, more than 40 major brands, such as DoorDash, and over 60 smaller brands have contacted him to offer partnerships and assistance, as reported by AfroTech. Lee, who recently relocated to Dallas with his family, plans to organize a local, in-person event where families can collect the donated items. He also intends to set up a warehouse or office space to manage the storage of incoming donations before distributing them to those requiring support.
