As the national pause in federal food assistance benefits approaches, The McKenzie Project, Inc. (TMP) in South Florida is stepping into proactive mode to support vulnerable Black TGNCNB+ individuals, youth and families in Broward County who are likely to be disproportionately impacted.
TMP is going beyond simply signalling awareness, with our HRT HUB a multi-layered response rooted in community resilience, mutual aid, education and systems navigation.
First, TMP is mobilizing rapid outreach and communications: alerting clients, partners and network members about the impending EBT/SNAP interruption, what it means, when it starts, who is most at risk, and how to prepare. This includes culturally-responsive materials (e.g., for Black trans/gender-nonconforming communities), peer-led information sessions, and collaborations with local food banks, organizations and social-service hubs.
Second, TMP is scaling up its food-security infrastructure: intensifying its drop-in centre services, coordinating mobile distributions, deepening partnerships with food pantries, and securing additional food procurement to bridge the gap during the pause. Logistics include increased volunteer shifts, expanded storage, and targeted delivery to clients with mobility or transportation barriers.
Third, TMP is integrating wrap-around supports: recognizing that food-insecurity is tied to housing instability, HIV-related health disparities, mental-health stressors and economic precarity, especially among Black TGNCNB+ persons. So TMP is aligning its existing programs (housing support, mental-health care, workforce development, peer-led navigation) to ensure clients who may lose access to EBT are connected to emergency financial assistance, applied for other benefits, and given case-management support.
Fourth, TMP is engaging in advocacy and systems change: gathering data on local impacts, documenting client experiences, partnering with local government and community-based organizations in Broward County to amplify calls for emergency relief funding, and building long-term resilience strategies so that when federal programs pause or shift, community-based networks are not left scrambling.
Finally, TMP is incorporating a trauma-informed, joy-and-liberation-centered approach, not only focusing on crisis management, but also affirming dignity, community belonging, and creative expression among its participants. This ensures that the response is not solely emergency-driven, but part of a broader vision of Black trans and LGBTQ+ thriving.
Born in Liberty City, Miami, Jasmine McKenzie is a Black trans woman, HIV survivor, and founder of The McKenzie Project, leading transformative housing, advocacy, and healing initiatives that empower Black TGNCNB+ people to thrive with joy and dignity.
