NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennesseans can't put food on the table due to a state system upgrade. It's created a major backlog in processing food stamp applications.
A single mom named Missy applied for SNAP benefits when she lost her job. She asked us to use her first name for privacy reasons.
Now, her application is stuck in a pile due to a backlog following a system upgrade this summer.
“It’s very frustrating to see OK — should I pay rent, or should I purchase food?” Missy said. “I just wish they never would have done that.”
She's been to the SNAP benefits office multiple times and took photos of people sitting on the floor waiting. One day she spent longer than four hours waiting at the SNAP office. Then, she went to another office where she found out her application was still pending.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services is now trying to call 35,000 people who are waiting for their applications to be processed. Commissioner Clarence Carter was questioned by state lawmakers about it, with some lawmakers pointing to previous NewsChannel 5 reporting on this problem.
Our reporting referenced by lawmakers: Middle Tennessee families left without food due to SNAP delays
By law, they should process applications in 30 days but that's not happening.
"We are shooting for being under the 60-day window by the middle of February and being under the 30-day window by end of March,” Carter said.
In the meeting, state lawmaker Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville, noted two months is a long time for people to go without food. Carter said it's all hands-on deck.
"I am very comfortable that we are trending in the direction that we will solve this problem."
Metro Council Member Erin Evans said more needs to be done. Residents have called her for help.
"It just feels like we need to act with more of a sense of urgency,” Evans said, "I tweeted on X: Why can’t we look at some of the cash assistance for needy families with the TANF funds? I still don’t understand why can’t we leverage some of that funding to go ahead and at least provide a stop gap to those residents who are literally looking for food banks that they can go to."
Meanwhile, Missy is applying for jobs and waiting to hear from the state.
“They need to do something, they really do, and not just have families here scratching their heads and wondering when this whole backlog is going to be fixed or if it is going to be fixed,” Missy said.
How you can help: Missy's link to her GoFundMe to help.
The state reportedly asked the federal government to waive the interview process to speed up applications. That request was denied.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
