Thousands of Northeast Georgians are seeking emergency food assistance. Local Food Banks are faced with greater numbers of people needing food assistance than ever before. According to the Georgia Food Bank Association, Georgia’s eight regional food banks have experienced a 30-40% increase in people needing emergency food since the end of April. That percentage holds true for the Northeast Georgia Region as well. The increase also corresponds with the sharp increase in unemployment numbers in the Northeast Georgia Region.
During April, the employment numbers in the state and in the Northeast Region of Georgia more than tripled. The unemployment numbers have begun to drop a little (from 10.6% in April to 7.8% to May). However, the numbers of those needing help who are food insecure, meaning that there are days when they have no food to eat, have remained elevated.
At this time, the fourteen counties in the region have 69,000 people needing food assistance. Projections suggest by the end of 2020, that number will increase to 98,000. Most surprising, of the 30-40% increase in people needing assistance, 40% of these have never had to seek assistance before.
According to the Georgia Food Bank, children have been the most impacted. Before COVID-19, one in five children in Georgia lived in food-insecure households. During COVID-19, 280,000 children state-wide have needed food assistance for the first time. Before COVID-19, the Northeast Region already had almost 21,000 children (20.4%) who were food insecure. That number has also grown since April.
Help through area food banks
Chuck Toney, the Executive Director of the Northeast Georgia Food Bank, says that people began giving funds to the Food Bank for additional food even before the increase in demand happened. He explains that people seemed to understand early on how difficult the times were going to be for many of their neighbors. According to Toney, “This need for emergency food assistance is going to last a long time and the need for donor support will continue as well.”
The best way to provide support is through a financial donation. Although food donations are always accepted, the Food Bank has buying options in wholesale that can “stretch a dollar further than a can of beans.” In fact, Toney says that with $10.00, the Food Bank can provide forty meals.
The Northeast Georgia Food Bank runs two locations, one in Athens and one in Clayton. Financial gifts can be made online on their website at FoodBankNEGA.org or by mailing checks to either location––861 Newton Bridge Road, Athens, GA 30607, or 46 Plaza Way, Clayton GA 30525.
