According to a Fox 5 Atlanta report, food banks in the Atlanta area are experiencing an unprecedented spike in demand due to the rising cost of living, with some organizations seeing up to a 70% surge in individuals seeking assistance since 2022.
As inflation rose over the past few years, so did food insecurity. According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, one in eight Georgians are food insecure.
And things get really tough during the holiday season.
“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.
“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.
“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 added.
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 Francis Horton, CEO of the Community Assistance Center.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, you can find options at the sources below; you can donate, as well:
Community Assistance Center —>
Atlanta Community Food Bank —>
Watch the video below:
