A strong Georgia is one where every child and family has enough to eat — not just during election season, but every single day.

No child in Georgia should go hungry. Yet nearly one in four Georgia children lives in a home without enough food. Hunger holds kids back in school and hurts families across our state. We can fix this — with compassion and common sense.

Ensuring that No Child Goes Hungry During the Summer Months

ACTION:

Reinstate Georgia’s SUN Bucks program.

During the school year, most low-income students get free or reduced-price meals — but summer leaves too many children hungry. Congress created the SUN Bucks program to alleviate the problem, providing $120 per child per month when school is out; however, Governor Kemp opted out of the program, claiming it was too costly for the state.

The truth? It would cost Georgia just $4.5 million to administer, while sending $138 million in aid to struggling families. That’s a trade any moral government should make. I will fight to bring back SUN Bucks so that every child in Georgia has enough to eat.

Tackling Food Deserts

ACTION:

Provide tax credits for constructing grocery stores in food deserts.

No family should have to drive 20 miles just to buy fresh produce. Yet nearly two million Georgians — including half a million children — live in areas without easy access to affordable, healthy food. As state senator, I will propose legislation that offers tax incentives for grocery store developers who open stores in underserved areas — rural or urban—because access to healthy food shouldn’t require a trip to the gas station.

Strengthening Our Food Banks and Meeting Nutrition Emergencies

ACTION:

Expand state funding for food banks and create a Strategic Food Reserve

When our food banks thrive, families don’t go hungry. But after federal SNAP cuts, food banks across Georgia are overwhelmed. This has caused food pantries to ration portions, and oftentimes pantries run out of food altogether. As state senator, I will introduce legislation that increases funding for the Georgia Nutritional Assistance Program (GNAP) so that food banks can meet their growing demands. Additionally, I support the creation of a Strategic Food Reserve that would provide full SNAP benefits for eligible Georgians during periods when Congress fails to fund the program.