In a united effort to combat food insecurity among seniors, Atlanta Community Food Bank, whose mission is to fight hunger by engaging, educating, and empowering the community, partnered with Mayor Andre Dickens to lead a Community Conversation Cooking Class at the Food Bank’s Learning Kitchen. This unique event provided local seniors in metro Atlanta with a hands-on cooking demonstration and the opportunity to engage directly with Mayor Dickens and the Food Bank’s President and CEO, Kyle Waide, in an open discussion about the ongoing challenges of hunger in the community.

The event highlighted the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides seniors with healthy foods through free monthly food boxes, as part of the current Farm Bill. As critical pandemic-era benefits expire, many seniors on fixed incomes are struggling to afford rising food, housing, and medical costs.

“Mayor Dickens’ participation underscores the importance of standing with our seniors, a population too often overlooked in conversations about hunger,” said Kyle Waide, President & CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “With nearly 700 nonprofit partners, we’re working to provide targeted support to seniors through programs such as CSFP. Bringing together local seniors to share their experiences and engage in meaningful dialogue with Mayor Dickens is an important step in addressing the critical issue of food insecurity.

Seniors from Emmanuel Lutheran Church took part in the Community Conversation Cooking Class.

“We are committed to not only providing resources but also creating spaces where meaningful conversations can take place for our community,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “It was a pleasure to partner with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, as they continue to make a tremendous difference for Atlanta residents while educating others on how they can get involved in the fight against hunger.”

For more information about the Atlanta Community Food Bank, including how you can help, visit https://www.acfb.org.