2024: A Year of Growth
Food Banking is about getting food that is nourishing but unmarketable onto the tables of families who need it. This year, Georgia’s Food Banks are in the midst of major expansion projects to better serve those neighbors. 10 warehouse projects (expansions or new buildings) at 8 regional food banks are under construction with $69 million in CARES Act Funding granted by Governor Kemp’s Department of Community Affairs. Those federal funds have been matched with more than $40 million donated by Georgia foundations, corporations, and individuals throughout the state to complete the projects. The increased capacity these projects provide will help our network prepare for or respond to food emergencies like we experienced during the COVID pandemic as well as the current demand for emergency food assistance in our state.
Record Distribution: 160 million meals
Georgia’s Eight Feeding America food banks distributed more than 160 million meals last year through their network of more than 2,400 partner agencies and pantries, setting another sobering record in a state where demand for emergency food assistance remains stubbornly high. Georgia’s high rate of food insecurity is driving this demand along with high food and fuel prices that force families to make impossible choices between paying for food, medicine, rent, and fuel to get to work. That is where our network can help Because we have food, thanks to generous donors and innovative partnerships to rescue and distribute.
Farm to Food Bank and Food Rescue
Georgia farmers donated more than 30 million pounds of fresh, aesthetically imperfect/unmarketable produce to the food bank network last year through our Farm to Food Bank program. And our food banks rescued more than 60 million pounds of groceries that were close to their expiration dates from retail grocery store partners – food that would have otherwise gone to landfills.
We are grateful to all who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we do this important work. Thank you for your support!
