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Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center and the Interfaith Children's Movement Issue Statement Urging Reconsideration of State Budget Cuts 

ATLANTA (May 14, 2026) – Interfaith leaders across Georgia are expressing deep concern and calling for reconsideration following Governor Brian Kemp’s recent fiscal year 2027 budget cuts that will have real and lasting consequences for children, families and communities across our state.

Joint Statement

“The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center (GIPPC) and the Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) urge all people of faith and good intentions to advocate for a state budget, as passed by the legislature, that reflects a just, responsible and compassionate state ecosystem; exercises wise stewardship of resources; and supports the well-being of children, families and communities across Georgia. 

As the collective voice of more than 1 million Georgians of faith, we believe the state budget, passed by both chambers, reflected serious and thoughtful compromises toward the necessary investment of state resources and delivery of critical services to rural communities. Budgets are more than numbers; they are moral documents symbolizing our shared priorities and values. 

THE IMPACT

The recent budget cuts enacted by the governor will disproportionately impact the state’s rural and low-income communities, particularly in access to food, healthcare, transportation and emergency services, and state-funded pre- and after-school care for families. These reductions come at a time when our state is already facing rising costs of living, economic uncertainty and natural disasters, such as wildfires and droughts. 

The more than $344 million in spending cuts imposed through executive action do not adequately address the budget imbalance caused by tax cuts for the wealthiest Georgians. These decisions affect more than $81 million in healthcare funding, $61 million in Pre-K-12 education funding, $15 million in human services funding, and $11 million in transportation funding, among other critical areas.

COMMUNITY-BASED PATHWAYS

At a time when families are already stretched thin, the reductions place additional strain on those least able to absorb it and raise serious moral questions about how we prioritize our neighbors' well-being. Across our faith traditions, we are called to care for one another, protect the most vulnerable, and ensure that our collective resources are used in ways that embody justice, compassion and shared responsibility.

These developments underscore the need for trusted, community-based pathways that help people recognize concerns early and connect to available support. That is why GIPPC, with sponsorship from Eli Lilly and Company, is standing up the Faithful Pillars’ Community Health Care Program. Through this program, rural and underserved Georgians will have increased access to support their dermatological healthcare needs through community skin health education, non-diagnostic screenings, and navigation to relevant resources and support for families statewide.

CALL TO ACTION

We call on our state leaders to reconsider the impact on Georgians — who are already under unprecedented economic pressure —  and to restore investments that support health, education and stability of Georgia’s children, families and rural communities. 

We call on Georgians to pray for the state’s leaders to be equipped with guidance and the moral courage to act on the principles and highest values of our faith traditions. We also invite communities across our state to raise their voices, contact their elected officials and advocate for policies that strengthen our communities and illustrate what it means to live out our faith through our actions.

The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center and The Interfaith Children Movement remain committed to working alongside leaders, communities and partners across Georgia to build a safe and thriving future that reflects our shared values of love, justice, mercy, compassion and hospitality, ensuring that every child and every community has the opportunity to flourish.”

Signing the statement were:

  • Dr. Wesley Myrick, executive director, Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center

  • Rev. Cassandra Henderson, executive director, Interfaith Children's Movement

  • The Reverend Dr. Kevin Strickland, bishop, Southeastern Synod, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, chair, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Soumaya Khalifa, vice chair, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Ann Cramer, secretary, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Leslie Anderson, treasurer, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Bishop Robin Dease, North Georgia Conference, United Methodist Church, member, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • The Right Reverend Frank Logue, Bishop of Georgia, The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, member, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Leo Smith, CEO, Engaged Future Group, member, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Rev. Sean Smith, pastor, New Horizons Baptist Church, member, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Rev. Sarah Hooker, Agnes Scott College, member, GIPPC Board of Directors

  • Rev. Christina Branum-Martin, minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation

  • Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones, minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett 

  • Rev. Taryn Strauss, senior minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta 

  • Rev. Elizabeth Pollard, Newnan Chapel United Methodist Church

  • Fr. Jeffrey Ott, OP, pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

  • Dr. Jay Augustine, senior pastor, Big Bethel AME Church

  • Imam Furqan Mohammad, resident imam, Masjid Al-Muminun

  • Rev. David Lewicki, co-chair, Presbyterians for a Better Georgia

  • Rev. Dwight Andrews, pastor, First Congregational UCC

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About the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center

The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center (GIPPC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that educates and empowers Georgia’s community of the faithful to advocate for the common good. We work daily to ensure that Georgia laws and political discourse reflect our shared values of love, justice, mercy, and hospitality, reflecting the spiritual leadership of more than 1 million Georgians. www.GeorgiaInterfaithCenter.org.

About the Interfaith Children's Movement

The mission of the Interfaith Children’s Movement is to build a multi-faith, grassroots advocacy coalition that works to create a Georgia where all Children thrive. We are rooted in the belief that every child is sacred and deserving of love, care, and opportunity, and that we share a collective responsibility to ensure children, families and communities have what they need to flourish. We bring together individuals, families and faith communities across traditions to build relationships, deepen understanding and take meaningful action on behalf of and alongside children throughout Georgia. Through youth leadership, interfaith collaboration and public advocacy, ICM works to advance a shared moral vision for our state, one grounded in compassion, responsibility and the well-being of every child. https://www.icmgeorgia.org/