Feeding GA Families (FGF) takes on a collaborative approach to address food insecurity in communities. The non-profit food pantry and community services agency—hand in hand with farmers, food banks, grocery stores, small businesses, donors, and volunteers—has become a leading resource for people affected by this social issue.
The comprehensive scope of Feeding GA Families’s collaborative efforts with partners and other sectors is reflected in their programs to assist food insecure individuals. The FGF team is trying to solve three aspects of food assistance. First, FGF is working on improving people’s access to healthy food options. The non-profit agency aims to make fresh produce a weekly staple. Second, FGF provides nutritious foods to clients with health or dietary food restrictions due to allergies and other medical conditions. Lastly, the agency extends these services to homebound, medically at-risk populations.
Since 2010, Feeding GA Families has quickly expanded its operations. The agency started by feeding the homeless in Atlanta. Today, it provides cooked community meals and hosts two weekly food pantries. In 2020, a year characterized by unprecedented social issues and a global pandemic, Feeding GA Families achieved impressive community service milestones. It served a total of 140 thousand individuals, up from 80 thousand in 2019. FGF also distributed over 741 thousand pounds of food and over 595 thousand meals.
In direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Feeding GA Families started a pantry drive-up model. The non-profit agency is also assisting affected families in obtaining temporary housing and the associated expenses of staying at home. Of course, FGF continues with its home deliveries for seniors, medically at-risk individuals, and veterans.
Feeding GA Families’s goal is to serve each family as a separate, unique, and individual unit. For this reason, FGF factors in health/dietary restrictions, food allergies, and vegan/plant-based considerations that make each family unit distinct. “Our services are provided with no questions asked, as our purpose is to aid those in need, when they are in need, without restrictions to residency, prior income, or family size,” explains FGF.
In providing these services, Feeding GA Families has established critical partnerships with local retailers who help redistribute excess food to people in need. These retailers include Aldis, Publix, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart. The agency is also affiliated with other non-profits in various cities and counties in Georgia, including Food4Life, Macon Vegans, Plant Powered, Triple Nickles Atlanta (Veterans), and others. FGF’s critical support partners are Medline, Eat the Change, and United Way.
To continue the agency’s expansion across Georgia and increase its food distribution sites, Feeding GA Families is actively looking for like-minded partners. FGF’s mission resonates with individuals, retailers, companies, and other institutions who want to reduce food waste and give back to the community. With the support of these cause-based partnerships, FGF can expand its Operation E.F.F.O.R.T (Emergency Food For Our Communities, Retirees, and Teens) program into more cities nationwide.
For more information, visit the Feeding GA Families website.
