Atlanta Community Food Bank reports surge in visits

ATLANTA - One in six children in Atlanta will go hungry tonight, according to data from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

The organization, which provides food for nearly 300,000 households every month, reports that the need for assistance in the community is both significant and expanding. Greg Sims, a representative of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said the pantry network has experienced a 70% increase in visitors over the last four years.

What they're saying:

"Neighbors, kids, seniors, hard-working adults that are struggling to make ends meet and afford enough food," Sims said. "We have seen 70 percent increase in neighbors visiting our pantry network over the last four years."

Rising costs have forced many local families to make difficult financial trade-offs. Sims noted that inflation has played a major role in the growing demand for food assistance, as families often prioritize fixed costs over their grocery budgets.

"It's easiest in budget to cut food you can't cut utilities you can't cut your rent, so what gets left off is food," Sims said. "Parents may go skip meals so kids can eat that often-common coping."

Local perspective:

To combat these rising numbers, the food bank is participating in the annual "Fight Hunger, Spark Change" campaign through May 3. The initiative raises funds when customers round up their totals or purchase specific products at Walmart or Sam’s Club locations. Officials confirmed that every dollar donated through the program stays within the local community.

"Last year's campaign generated almost 400K to support our work, which in the end, abled us to provide more than a million meals to our community," Sims said.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank currently partners with approximately 700 food pantries throughout the state to distribute resources. Sims emphasized that food insecurity can affect anyone, regardless of their circumstances or appearance.

"Folks all different backgrounds are dealing with food insecurity, and you may not know it looking at a person standing next to you in the shopping aisle," Sims said. "We are here for you, and we have resources available to you."

By the numbers:

• 1 in 6: The number of children in Atlanta who will go hungry tonight.
• 300,000: Households served by the food bank every month.
• 70%: The increase in pantry visitors over the last four years.
• 700: The number of food pantries throughout the state that partner with the food bank.
• $400,000: The amount generated by last year's campaign to provide millions of meals.

What you can do:

The organization added that it is also in constant need of volunteers to support its daily operations. Learn more at https://www.acfb.org/