As millions of Americans brace for starvation, Tyler Perry is stepping in to help.
According to People, the filmmaker has donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations supporting families who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is at risk during the ongoing government shutdown.
Perry’s donation is being distributed across several community-based groups, including the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Baby2Baby, Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Caring for Others, All for Lunch, Ron Clark Academy, and Goodr. Each of these organizations works directly with families who rely on SNAP to afford groceries and infant supplies.
“If you’ve never been poor then you may not fully understand the life-changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people,” Perry told People in a statement. “For millions of people, it could mean extreme hunger. For newborns, it could mean a lack of access to formula.”
At stake is the basic grocery budget of approximately 42 million people, according to estimates released last month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture previously warned that available federal funding may not cover the full month of November. SNAP, administered by the USDA, provides low-income households with funds to buy nutritious food. Without it, families could be left without essentials almost immediately.
Perry’s decision to act is informed by his own experience. The filmmaker has spoken openly about periods of homelessness and going hungry as a young adult. A source close to him noted that those memories shape his philanthropy.
“Tyler knows firsthand what it feels like to be hungry and homeless,” the source said. “Though he has achieved so much, those feelings never leave you. And when he sees injustices like this he always feels compelled to help.”
On Wednesday, November 5, the shutdown—which began on October 1—became the longest in modern U.S. history.
Other public figures are also mobilizing: Jimmy Kimmel announced a temporary food donation center benefiting families in Los Angeles, and Wanda Sykes acknowledged single mothers who could be affected while speaking at a recent event.
Meanwhile, according to the Associated Press, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to locate funds to fully cover SNAP benefits for November. The ruling requires the administration to act immediately, though the government has already filed an appeal. It remains unclear how quickly benefits will reach families if additional funding is secured.