As Americans lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Tyler Perry has donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations in the Atlanta region that support families most impacted. Atlanta Community Food Bank, Baby2Baby, Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Caring for Others, All for Lunch, Ron Clark Academy and Goodr are among them.
“If you’ve never been poor then you may not fully understand the life changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people, to our seniors and to our children,” 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.”
Perry, who has spoken publicly about his childhood trauma and homelessness, calls the loss of vital food assistance programs “heartbreaking” in his statement. “Compassion is not political, it’s humanity and we seem to be missing both right now.”