Jimmy Wright, the owner of Wright’s Market in Opelika, Alabama, is worried about his turkeys.

Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Wright stocked his grocery store with the large birds, potatoes, stuffing and other foods for his customers in the community, about 28 miles northwest of Columbus, Georgia.

But with payments on hold for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and continued uncertainty around when or how much recipients may receive, Wright is anxious. As much as 45% of his store’s sales come from customers using the food-assistance program and he isn’t sure whether those customers will be buying a Thanksgiving meal this year.

“I’ve got a freezer full of turkeys,” Wright said. “We ordered inventory for holidays, all this stuff months ago. We’re on the hook for al

See Full Page