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Atlanta charities, food banks overwhelmed by soaring demand amid high living costs

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Published  November 25, 2024 11:00pm EST
Holidays
FOX 5 Atlanta

Food banks struggle to keep up with high demand

Charitable organizations and food banks are struggling to keep up with the high demand this holiday season as more and more Georgians are showing up at their doors asking for help.

The Brief

    • Charitable organizations and food banks in metro-Atlanta face challenges meeting increased demand due to rising living costs.
    • An unprecedented number of middle-income individuals are seeking assistance, adding to the strain on these nonprofits.
    • Both the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Hosea Helps are seeking additional help from the public through donations and volunteer work.

ATLANTA - Some charitable groups and food banks around metro-Atlanta are struggling to keep up with high demand this holiday season. More and more people are showing up at their doors asking for help. They say the cost of living is too much for many people around metro-Atlanta.

Kyle Waide, the CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, says it’s getting tougher for families to make ends meet.

"More and more people are struggling to get all the food that they need," Waide said. "Lines at food pantries all across north Georgia are getting longer."

Waide says donors are trying their best to step up and contribute.

"Supply continues to be robust," she said.

Waide explained the strain grows as more people around metro-Atlanta are struggling financially.

RELATED: Food insecurity hits Atlanta's working families hard; How to support ahead of the holidays

"They’re spending more money at the gas pump and on groceries and on housing and on healthcare," Waide said.

It’s tough for groups like the food bank to keep up with the exploding demand.

"We’ve seen demand go up by 60-percent over the past two-and-a-half years," Waide said. "Even though we’re distributing more food than we did even at the height of the pandemic, it just feels like it’s not enough."

Elisabeth Omilami, president of Hosea Helps, says her group gave out more than 1,500 turkeys this weekend.

"All of that is gone. We have to replenish the inventory," Omilami said.

The charitable organization still plans to give out meals on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.

"Hosea Helps is definitely seeing a shortage of supplies. The shortage is about 800 turkeys short and dry goods are several pallets short," Omilami said.

Omilami says middle-income Georgians are showing up in numbers she hasn’t seen before.

"The middle class is causing us to be overwhelmed because they are in line."

Both groups are looking for all the help they can get.

Atlanta city skyline

For Hosea Helps, you can sign up to volunteer or donate on Cash App at $hoseahelps.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank is accepting donations here.

The Source: This article was reported by FOX 5's Christopher King and features information previously reported by the FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team.