By Adam Keen…
The Holidays have passed and the food bank is always looking for donations and volunteers. Did you know that “18.9 percent of the people living in Georgia are food insecure, meaning that they don’t always know where they will find their next meal. (Feeding America, 2014 Map the Meal Gap Study released in June 2013 reflects data collected in 2012.)” Look around, that’s pretty much 1 in 5 people you see. That’s absolutely dumbfounding and terrible.
DONATE or VOLUNTEER NOW – http://www.acfb.org/
Here are some more facts from the organization’s website about what Georgia is facing…
– 28.1 percent of Georgia children live in food insecure households. This is up from 28.3% last year and is well over one in every four Georgia children. The USDA defines food insecurity as the lack of access to adequate food resulting from the lack of money and other resources. (Feeding America, 2014 Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity study released in June 2014 reflects data collected in 2012.) See how Georgia children compare to children in other states by viewing the interactive map. Be sure to click the button entitled Child Food Insecurity Rates.
– Monthly allotments for food-insecure families receiving food stamps decreased beginning Nov. 1, 2013. $36 less each month for a household of four. (Atlanta Community Food Bank and Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Oct. 2013)
– 27.2 percent of Georgia’s children live in poverty – up from 26.3 % last year. The new number moves Georgia to the 6th highest childhood poverty rate in the U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile. Data released Sept. 2013)
– 19.2 percent of Georgians are living in poverty – just slightly up from 19.1 percent reported in 2012. Poverty in Georgia increased from 12.9% in 2000 to 19.2% in 2012 – an increase of almost 1 million Georgians over the past 12 years. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile. Data released Sept. 2013)
– From 2000 to 2010, the number of poor individuals in the Atlanta metro suburbs more than doubled, growing by 122%. (U.S. Census, 2013. cited)
– More than one in every ten senior citizens in Georgia is living in poverty (11.2% ) – This new number reflects a slight increase from 10.9% last year. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile. Data released Sept. 2013)
– As of 2014, Georgia remains one of only 4 states with minimum wage rates under the federal rate. Georgia’s minimum wage is $5.15/hour. (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment Standards Admin. 2014)