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One in three Georgia parents report food insecurity
The new polling data come as Georgia work requirements for SNAP take effect.
Rebecca Grapevine, Healthbeat
March 26, 2026 • Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Hi, Atlanta!
One in three Georgia parents report that their families experience low or very low food security, according to new data from Emory University’s Center for Child Health Policy.
The results come from a statewide poll of 1,002 Georgia parents conducted in October and November. A few findings:
Food insecurity is higher in rural areas: 43% of parents in rural areas reported low or very low food security, compared to 31% in urban and suburban areas.
Racial disparities: More Black parents — 41% — than Hispanic (34%) or white parents (29%) reported low or very low food security.
Parents are cutting back: About one-quarter of the parents polled said they have cut or skipped meals in the past year because there wasn’t enough money for food. That increased to 44% for low-income parents.
About a quarter of the parents polled said their families had received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Of those parents, more than half (52%) said they had lost access at some point within the past year.
Most of the parents polled support free breakfast and lunch for all children in public schools. Six percent said they are carrying school lunch debt, with a median of $25 owed. A quarter of those families said they owed $100 or more.
These findings come as SNAP, the nation’s food assistance program for low-income families, is undergoing major changes as a result of The One Big Beautiful Bill signed by President Donald Trump this summer. Those include:
New work requirements for able-bodied adults who are not pregnant and under age 65 took effect on Nov. 1. The change is expected to result in about 96,000 Georgians losing benefits when they “recertify” their eligibility, which typically takes place every four months. Previously, caretakers of children under 18 were exempt; now the exemption only applies to those caring for children under 14.
Many noncitizens will also lose eligibility for SNAP — including refugees, asylum seekers, and human trafficking survivors.
Georgia will now have to pay for more of the administrative costs (75% rather than 50%) of the program, which will increase the burden on the state budget.
Food insecurity can drive poor educational and health outcomes, Emory professor and lead author Dr. Stephen Patrick said in a press release.
ICYMI
Here’s a recap of the latest reporting from Healthbeat:
Capitol clinicians: From operating room to the Gold Dome: How Georgia’s medical lawmakers shape policy
Health care workforce: Georgia lawmakers advance bills aimed at easing nurse and doctor shortages
Measles: Spring break travel risks spread of measles across U.S.
Antibiotics: We’re taking too many. And we need more of them.
Communications: How to win the war of narratives in global public health
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The Grapevine 🍇
Dr. Alawode Oladele is being awarded Emory University’s Sheth Distinguished Alumni Award for his outstanding contributions to human well-being and international engagement.
I interviewed “Dr. O” last year in his capacity as medical director of the DeKalb County Department of Public Health, which was opening a new tuberculosis clinic. He has had a long career helping diagnose and treat TB, among other conditions. He told a compelling story at Healthbeat’s “Aha Moments in Public Health” event last fall about how global threads from Africa to Haiti to Japan shape his work. Watch here.
What I’m hearing from readers:
One commonality I see across all the medical professionals in the Georgia state legislature is a practical approach, focusing on bipartisan collaboration and optimizing outcomes. There has never been a more important time for health leaders to step up.
Hear from Healthbeat on other platforms:
WUGA/GPB: I discuss Georgia’s high death toll from the flu this year. Listen here.
Fox 5: I talk about the flu and other respiratory viruses in Georgia. Watch here.
Upcoming Events
April 1, 6 p.m.: Bonne Fire Atlanta sponsors “The Spark: Three Stories Healthcare Couldn't Have Told Ten Years Ago,” a TedX-style event featuring Emory Healthcare’s chief public health informatics officer Elizabeth Sprouse. Details and tickets here.
April 6-12: National Public Health Week. Details here.
April 13, noon to 1 p.m.: “Measles in Georgia: Prevention, Policy, and Public Health Response,” a webinar sponsored by ARCHI. Details here.
April 29, 9 a.m. to noon: Georgia Public Health Association virtual annual conference. Details here.
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About how many lawmakers in Georgia's Legislature are also medical professionals? |
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In health,
Rebecca
Thumbnail image by Rebecca Grapevine / Healthbeat
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