GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - As Georgia families face uncertainty about putting food on the table due to suspended SNAP benefits, a Gwinnett County teen is stepping up to help his neighbors.

"The first thing I thought was, how can I fix this? How can I help?" Jaeleon Hawkins-Jones, a high school junior, said.

Hawkins-Jones, 16, has raised more than a thousand dollars and says he is just getting started.

What we know:

Roughly 1.4 million people across Georgia receive assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. About 12% of the state’s population depends on the program to help buy food.

As the government shutdown continues, the state’s food assistance website reports that November benefits have been suspended.

"When leadership fails to act, regular people lik

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