Q: I know the Atlanta Community Food Bank has been around longer than I have lived here but really never bothered to find out about this organization. Would you give me some background and tell me what they have been able to do since the pandemic?
A: The Atlanta Community Food Bank was founded in 1979 with a mission to end hunger. The organization serves 29 counties in metro Atlanta and north Georgia.
The food bank was founded by Bill Bolling in the basement of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, according to CEO Kyle Waide.
“There were a number of organizations and churches that were trying to provide food to a growing homeless population in downtown Atlanta. He (Bolling) thought that together they could grow their impact if there was more access to food,” said Waide.
“If there was a centralized point for accepting food donations that could then get that food out through a decentralized network of feeding programs. In that first year, we distributed about 15,000 pounds of food. This year we will distribute about 115 million pounds of food.”
The challenges of those in need reach beyond hunger and begin with an economic problem that morphs into issues of coping choices, health problems, missing work or losing jobs, for example, said the CEO.
“All of that puts more pressure financially and otherwise on these families where now they are facing even more difficult trade-off decisions,” said Waide.
“The cost for the rest of us is that there is a significant percentage of the population – one in six people overall, one in four kids - who are living with these struggles. Thus, creating more healthcare costs for all of us and a less productive workforce. It results in the kids in those households doing less well in school. All of that weakens our community collectively,” he stated.
Since the pandemic, ACFB launched the “Text for Help” phone-based platform. To use, text to 888-976-2232 (ACFB) using ‘findfood’ or ‘comida’. Three different nearby pantries and contact information will be provided.
For more information, visit https://www.acfb.org/
New to Atlanta or simply have a question about this place we call home? Email your request to atlactualfact@gmail.com
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