$11.9 Million To Help Georgia Food Banks Provide Food To Families In Need

March 9th, 2021

The Georgia National Guard has helped to pack and distribute food at food banks across the state of Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Courtesy of the Georgia Food Bank Association

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the food insecurity gap in Georgia and across the nation continues to expand.

Families with children are especially experiencing hardships.

According to Feeding America, child food insecurity in Georgia due to the pandemic has increased from 16.1% in 2018 to 22% in 2020.

While the need for food for families continues to grow, so does the demand for food banks to meet that need.

In an effort to meet the growing demand, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services recently announced $11.9 million in supplemental Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding.

On Tuesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Danah Craft, executive director of the Georgia Food Bank Association, said the funding will go to the Georgia Nutrition Assistance Program (GNAP) and will then be disbursed to all eight of the Feeding America Food Banks in Georgia to provide protein, fruits and vegetables to families in need during the ongoing health crisis.

“These funds are targeted,” explained Craft. “They are for a program that the food banks created in order to provide supplemental nutrition for families with children who are at risk of homelessness or who are TANF eligible.”

During the conversation, Craft talked with show host Rose Scott about several other topics, including child hunger, how the Georgia National Guard has continued to provide assistance to food banks across the state and the Georgia Food Bank Association’s continued response during the pandemic.