The Atlanta Community Food Bank, the central hub in the fight against hunger in Atlanta and North Georgia, recently surpassed the one billion mark for meals distributed to neighbors in need across their service area. For nearly 44 years, the Food Bank has been committed to its mission of combatting hunger, building and supporting a network of nearly 700 community-based partners in 29 counties. While overall food insecurity has declined nearly 30% in the last ten years, visits to pantries across the Food Bank’s network remain at near pandemic levels.

“Surpassing one billion meals distributed is remarkable in many ways,” said Kyle Waide, president and CEO of Atlanta Community Food Bank. “Obviously, it speaks to the challenges too many of our neighbors have faced in being able to afford the basic necessities in life. With a third of the population living in households making less than $55,000, they will continue to struggle. But, it also speaks to the enormous outpouring of support from our community: the advocates, donors, volunteers, and staff who have worked hard to ensure more of our neighbors are getting the nutrition they need.”

Over the years, the Food Bank not only has grown capacity, but also greatly improved the type of food it provides. Perishable foods such as animal proteins, dairy and fresh produce now account for approximately 56% of the food it distributes. As the Food Bank looks to the future, it is focused on improving the way it serves those who rely on food pantries, making access more convenient, frequent, consistent, and equitable.

“We have a solid network of organizations and individuals who share in our vision for ending hunger. As we look to the years ahead, it’s imperative that we continue to improve our systems across the board to be able to properly meet the growing and evolving needs of those we serve and those who help us serve,” added Waide. “We’ve proven that we can step up for these exceptional moments and we remain focused on being leaders in the fight against hunger.”

For more information or to learn how you can help, visit www.acfb.org or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.