In 2009, Meals on Wheels said it supported one out of every nine senior citizens in Georgia. According to the non-profit organization, that rose to one out of every six seniors by 2012.
“We ranked sixth before, and now we rank seventh. So, you know, unfortunately one of the other higher-ranking states had a worse progression in hunger than we did,” says Jeffrey Smyth, the executive director of Meals on Wheels Atlanta.
The spike in hungry elders is also apparent in metro Atlanta, where more than 200 people are on the group’s waiting list.
“We’re seeing more seniors who have absolutely no support system. We’re seeing more seniors who had an informal support system who now have no one who could help them. And so, we really do believed the economy has been a major factor,” says Smyth.
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