KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Anitra Littlejohn, a mother of two children, said life can change in an instant. She has Emerie, 5, and Kamerie, 1. SNAP benefits help her family survive, Littlejohn said, but she waited for two months before she received them.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services said earlier in November that a switch to new technology led to delays in applications being processed for families.
Kamerie is a little superhero who is defying the odds.
"I've worked full time before Kamerie was born," Littlejohn said. "And then after Kamerie was born, all of the medical issues that she's had, I've not been able to. Kamerie weighed 1 pound 5 ounces. She spent 384 days in the NICU ... She's on a ventilator, and G-tube and oxygen."
Last year in September, a little more than 34,000 people got into the SNAP program in Knox County, according to the TN Department of Human Services. That's the lowest number for the month of September in seven years.
Littlejohn said social security provides the family with a small amount of money — $40.53 for Kamerie. According to the Knox County Community Action Committee, more than 300 people have applied through them for help this far this year.
CAC said fewer than 100 applicants have been approved or received a phone call. Angela Bartlett, CAC Senior Manager of Community Engagement and Capacity Building, said they have help for people who are in limbo waiting.
"This time of year, we see an increase anyway, just because things do tend to cost more. It's harder to go outside because of the weather and it's harder to get out," Bartlett said. "We also give referrals to food pantries, food banks. We have the commodities program here at the CAC."
WBIR reached out to DHS on Monday and initially, they said they were working on an answer, but as of 7 p.m. WBIR did not receive an answer about why, this year, it seems like fewer people are getting the help they need.
Other resources for people facing food insecurity are local churches. Families unable to consistently feed themselves can also check Second Harvest to find where food pantries are near them.
Littlejohn's family received their SNAP benefits after a couple of months, but the concern is about the future.
"There are going to be so many people, you know, even working families, single moms, moms that are not single, that have kids that have special needs, that are being overlooked," Littlejohn said. "And the stuff is just sitting there behind the desk of somebody, that's not getting processed. And nobody can really tell you exactly why that is happening. That's what's so frustrating. They can't tell you why."