Resources for Georgia Families Needing Food Assistance During the Summer Months
National Hunger Awareness Day occurs on June 6th every year, bringing attention to the millions of people who face hunger every day . . . including more than 377,000 children in Georgia who live in food-insecure homes.
For these children, summer isn’t as carefree and full of excitement as it is for most of their peers. Instead, for many of them who are not enrolled in summer camp or child care programs, summer means an increase in hunger, and often anxiety, as they no longer have access to school meals and snacks.
Further amplifying Georgia’s childhood hunger problem is the recent expiration of the Pandemic SNAP (P-SNAP) benefits which added an extra amount to eligible families’ monthly total budget as well as made more people eligible for benefits. As of this month, family benefits will be reduced to their current income and costs. One positive though is that the Pandemic-EBT benefits for K-12th grade children have been extended until August.
It's important to understand that hunger doesn’t discriminate. There are families of every race and gender in every county in Georgia facing hunger. This includes military veterans and people with jobs. However, the greatest at risk are children, seniors and rural Georgians.
Georgia Hunger Quick Facts:
1 in 8 Georgians live in food-insecure homes.
1 in 5 children are food insecure.
79% of families purchased unhealthy foods to stay within their budget.
66% of families had to choose between food and medical care.
Children who are food insecure are more likely to be frequently sick, suffer growth and developmental impairments, and do poorly in school.
For families who may be experiencing increased food costs during the summer, please see below for a list of regional food banks and other resources that may be helpful in securing more food for your family.
List of Georgia’s Seven Regional Food Banks:
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens
Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta
Middle Georgia Community Food Bank in Macon
Feeding the Valley Food Bank in Midland, Ga.
America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, Inc. in Savannah
Second Harvest of South Georgia, Inc. in Valdosta
Find additional food banks and food pantries here.
Can’t find assistance near you? Text FINDFOOD in English or COMIDA in Spanish to
888-976-2232.
For families with school-aged children in Atlanta, you may be able to participate in Atlanta’s Summer Food Program, which the City of Atlanta has partnered with Bright from the Start for close to 50 years to operate. See a list of the programs below. Hours vary by location.
City of Atlanta Summer Food Program Open Sites
Ariel Bowen Memorial United Methodist Church, 384 Arthur St. SW. Atlanta GA 30310, 404-525-6173
Clark Atlanta University, 223 Brawley Drive Atlanta, GA 30314, 404-880-8485
East Atlanta Kids Club, 602 Brownwood Ave. SE Atlanta, GA 30316, 404-627-8050
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, 422 Merritts Ave. Atlanta, GA 30308, 678)-755-8223
Operation Peace, 464 Boulevard NE Atlanta, GA 30308, 404-347-4040
West End Performing Arts Center, 945 Ralph David Abernathy Atlanta, GA 30310, 404-613-6465
Mobile Feeding Program Wheels
Hapeville Public Library 525 King Arnold St. Atlanta, GA 30354 404-762-4065
Northwest Branch at Scotts Crossing 2489 Perry Boulevard NW Atlanta, GA 30318 404-613-4364
Southeast Branch 1463 Pryor Rd. Atlanta, GA 30315
Washington Park Branch 1116 Martin Luther King Jr Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314Amani Place Apartments 1572 Hardee St. NE Atlanta, GA 30307 404-783-2517
Parents or guardians in Atlanta may call 404-546-3122 or go online and enter their zip code at http://www.decal.ga.gov/Nutrition/Search.aspx to find the nearest service provider. Additionally, text “Summer Meals” to 97779 to find a location.
