September is Hunger Action Month, the Feeding America network of food banks' campaign designed to raise awareness about the issue of hunger. So on Sept. 10, Hunger Action Day, Atlanta Community Food Bank covered the city in orange, the official color of hunger, with orange lights, signage and art.
In light of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Hunger Action Month is even more meaningful than usual. Nationally, Feeding America projects more than 54 million people could face hunger in the wake of the pandemic.
“With each day, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic inflict more pain across our community,” said Kyle Waide, the president and CEO of Atlanta Community Food Bank. “Schools across the state are closed, restaurants and other businesses are shuttered and countless workers face the reality of layoffs, furloughs and missed paychecks.”
Each year, Atlanta Community Food Bank works with more than 600 nonprofits – including food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters and senior centers – to distribute more than 60 million meals to more than 700,000 people in 29 counties across metro Atlanta and north Georgia.
“We’re taking extra measures to fill the meal gap by purchasing additional food to support emergency food distributions, partnering with schools to feed families who have lost access to school meals, identifying pockets of unmet need for special mobile distributions and much more,” said Wade.
Who’s helping?
The Atlanta Community Food Bank
Services: Each year Atlanta Community Food Bank, along with its nonprofit partners, distributes over 60 million meals to people in 29 counties across metro Atlanta and north Georgia.
How to help: Donations are the most direct way to fuel the food bank’s emergency response. Every $1 can provide enough food for up to 4 meals. You can also start a virtual food drive at www.acfb.org/food-fund-drives.
Where to donate: To learn more about how to get involved or to make a donation, please visit acfb.org.
How to get help: Visit acfb.org and click “Find Help.”
If you are involved in or know of an organization working to bring relief to the Atlanta community during the coronavirus pandemic OR you are with an organization with supplies that you don’t know where to donate, please email us at Shannon.n.Dominy@gmail.com.
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