Local nonprofits in Athens are continuing to feel the effects of the longest government shutdown in U.S history.
“Until something gets taken away, you don’t really realize how much of a gift it is,” said Cole Phillips, CEO and Medical Director of Mercy Health Center, reflecting on the challenges faced by low-income patients during the shutdown.
The shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, paused access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest anti-hunger program in the United States. Providing monthly food benefits to low-income households, over 41 million people received SNAP benefits last year alone.
However, non-profit organizations have stepped in to provide for this heightened need.
Geoff Rushing, executive director of City of Refuge Athens, said that even with SNAP benefits resumed, demand remains at a level they’ve never experienced and is expected to continue through the rest of December.
“We’ve seen requests at about a 20 to 23% increase, which is significant for us,” said Rushing.
Many Athenians continue to feel the financial strain after the shutdown, especially as the holiday season approaches, when families face rising costs and gift-giving pressures.
“We feel like it’s doubly tough that it happened during the holiday season,” said Rushing.
The City of Refuge Athens Impact Statistics highlighting the number of children’s food bags, family grocery boxes, and the total pounds of food and supplies served from January to June 2025. The nonprofit will continue to provide more supplies as the holidays arrive. (Visualization by Nicholas Lezama)
During November, City of Refuge distributed 6,035 children’s food bags to Athens-Clarke County students and 2,149 family grocery boxes, marking a significant increase from previous months.
“We have gone from a food insecurity crisis to a food insecurity emergency,” said Rushing.
Robert Miles and other dedicated community volunteers have played a crucial role in supplying food and grocery boxes to support Athens residents.
Miles is part of a group of faculty members at the University of Georgia’s Athletic Department who visit various nonprofits to volunteer. Volunteers are the backbone of these relief efforts as they prepare and distribute food to families with a smile.
City of Refuge provides necessary household items such as clothes and school supplies to families in need. Moving beyond basic necessities, a generous donor provided a rack of ribs to give out to certain families as a Thanksgiving treat.
Nonprofits like City of Refuge and Mercy Health Center are prepared to maintain support through December and beyond, anticipating an increase in demand.
“We know the need isn’t going away overnight, and we’re committed to being here for our community every step of the way,” Rushing said.
Anna Scull, Betsy Allen, Eva Duignan, Aleks Arwood and Nicholas Lezama are journalism majors in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
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