Mildred has called Atlanta home for most of her life. She moved here in the 1960s, spent a few years living in New York City in her 30s, and then made her way back South.
“I came back because it feels like home,” she said.
When Mildred thinks about Atlanta decades ago, she remembers something many neighborhoods no longer have: Gardens.
“My mother always had a garden in the backyard,” she recalled. “And so did other people in the neighborhood.”
For Mildred, those gardens represented more than food. They represented community.
“We may not have always had what we wanted,” she said. “But we always had a little bit of what we needed. And if we didn’t have it, somebody else did.”
Today, life looks very different. Like many older adults living on a fixed income, Mildred relies on SNAP to help pay for groceries. Her monthly benefit is less than $100.
After paying for rent, utilities, transportation, and personal care expenses, there is very little room left in her budget. But for Mildred, the biggest challenge isn’t always paying for food. It’s getting to it.
As her mobility has become more limited, grocery shopping has become increasingly difficult. Transportation options are expensive, and regular trips through MARTA Mobility are often out of reach financially.
Instead, she depends on neighbors when they are already heading to the store.
That dependence comes with pressure.
“My walking is slower now,” she explained. “I don’t want to hold people up.”
Because she worries about taking too much time, she often grabs whatever is easiest to reach and quickest to purchase. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthier options are not always what end up in her cart. Instead, convenience often wins.
“Sometimes it’s easier to get things from a box, a can, or processed foods,” she said. Not because she prefers them. Because they are accessible.
Mildred says transportation has become just as important as food assistance itself. A benefit card helps, but only if you can get to the store.
