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

By Alli Levine
Published  November 10, 2024 10:45pm EST
Heartwarming News
FOX 5 Atlanta

Food bank needs help to help others

Ahead of the holidays, local food banks and pantries are straining to meet unprecedented demand. The Atlanta Community Food Bank is asking for donations and help.

The Brief

    • Local food banks in the Atlanta area are experiencing a sharp increase in demand due to the rising cost of living, with some organizations seeing up to a 70% surge in individuals seeking assistance since 2022.
    • The rise in demand is attributed largely to working families who earn too much to qualify for benefits, but are struggling with inflation and cannot afford necessities, marking a shift in the demographic of those in need.
    • The Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Community Assistance Center are pursuing innovative solutions, like expanding their food supply sources and processing capabilities, and are calling for community support through donations and volunteering, especially during the holiday season.

ATLANTA - Ahead of the holidays, local food banks and pantries are straining to meet unprecedented demand. As inflation has risen over the last several years, so has food insecurity. According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, one in eight Georgians are food insecure.

"People are paying more for gas and groceries, housing costs are up, healthcare costs, and all of that is putting tremendous pressure on middle-class families and low-income families," Kyle Waide, CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, told FOX 5.

Demand at the Atlanta Community Food Bank has risen 60% since 2022. That figure jumps to 70% for the Community Assistance Center, which serves Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. 

"Those are impressive numbers but in the wrong way," Francis Horton, CEO of the Community Assistance Center, said.

What is food insecurity?

  • According to Feeding America, "food insecurity is when people can't access the food they need to live their fullest lives. There are many causes of food insecurity. But one thing is clear: financial security for everyone is the most effective way to end hunger."

Both organizations say the increased demand is due in part to a shifting clientele. According to Horton, 67% of people coming to the Community Assistance Center for help in the last year and a half are working at least one job.

"The group that has seen the biggest increase in their level of need are working families who are earning too much money to qualify for various benefit programs. These are folks who have not been to seek food assistance in the past. This is a new experience for them, but given the significant increase in cost that they’re facing, they’re no longer able to make ends meet every month. They are needing help in a way that they’ve never needed it before," Waide said.

In response, Waide and Horton have had to get creative when it comes to increasing their available supply of food.

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The Atlanta Community Food Bank is focusing on getting more produce to the community and expects to distribute nearly 40 million pounds of produce this year. It has also opened a USDA certified clean room which allows the organization to repack donated protein items.

"We’re working with all of our donors to find parts of our supply chain we haven’t been able to tap into before, we’re trying to create relationships with new donors and developing new ways of processing food so we can make it available to the community," Waide told FOX 5.

Meanwhile, the Community Assistance Center is searching for new vendors to add to their existing network which includes partners like the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, and others. The CAC also relies heavily on the community including a network of nearly 30 congregational partners across Sandy Springs and Dunwoody.

"It really does take community to help community," Horton said. "All of the community coming together, we can continue to activate hope and expand opportunities for our clients."

That is especially true over the holiday season. The CAC is asking the community for donations in the form of cash and/or food. You can drop a donation off at one of the CAC’s many food pantry locations found here. You can also place a donation using the CAC’s food portal which acts as a wish list with the most needed items found on the first page. The Atlanta Community Food Bank is also in need of food and monetary donations this holiday season, in addition to volunteers to help pack, inspect, sort, and distribute food.

"We know Atlanta is a generous community. We are expecting tremendous support this holiday season, but we’re asking everyone who can to please go to our website, acfb.org, to make a donation and support our work in the community," Waide said.

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, you can find options at the sources below:

The Source: This is an original report by FOX 5 Atlanta's Alli Levine.