Jaeleon Hawkins-Jones, an African American teen from Gwinnett County, Georgia, is raising funds and distributing food boxes to families hit by paused SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown, helping dozens of households in his community.
Hawkins-Jones, a high school junior, said he didn’t want to wait for leaders to act. “If leadership isn’t going to do it, we as citizens have to step up for each other,” he told 11Alive. “And I knew that if I wasn’t going to do it, who was?”
He set up a GoFundMe to buy food and raised over $3,400 so far, then partnered with Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op Ministry. With their help, Hawkins-Jones delivered 40 boxes of food last week. Seeing families’ reactions made an impression on him. “I saw the smile on their face and I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually doing something. I’m making a difference,’” Hawkins-Jones said.
Local food banks have felt the effects of the shutdown too. Lisa Engberg, executive director of Lawrenceville Co-Op, said client numbers jumped about 25%, reaching 100 people on Friday compared to the usual 60 to 80. Many were new visitors, and roughly a third had lost SNAP benefits.
Hawkins-Jones hopes his actions inspire other students to help in 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,” he said. He plans to run another food drive with Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op Ministry next week.
For those looking to help or find local food banks, resources like FoodFinder provide guidance. With more than 1 million Georgians affected by paused SNAP benefits, volunteers like Hawkins-Jones are stepping in to support families in need.
SOURCE: blacknews.com