Georgia’s Own Credit Union marked Hunger Action Month by preparing and serving hot meals for the 60 women and children who rely on Hope Atlanta’s Women’s Community Kitchen to stave off hunger. The Sept.16 event also included a donation of over $2,000 in cooking and kitchen essentials, canned goods and shelf-stable foods for the women to access through a “pop-up” shopping experience.

The support came as Georgia families face rising food costs and changes to federal food assistance. Grocery costs have climbed 29% since 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while a new round of federal work requirements enacted this year have already begun affecting access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In Georgia alone, an estimated 75,000 to 150,000 residents have lost benefits under the new eligibility rules, per the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Locally, the Atlanta Community Food Bank reports that 1 in 7 people face food insecurity, including 1 in 5 children, while more than 64% of food-insecure Georgians earn too much to qualify for SNAP.

“As prices continue to rise, many families are having to make difficult choices about where their money goes,” said Marin Kraushaar, executive director of Georgia’s Own Foundation. “Through our work with Hope Atlanta, we hope to take hunger off their plate by providing a hot meal and essentials they can use to prepare meals at home. Most importantly, we want the women and children we serve to feel cared for and seen while giving them a little more peace of mind.”

Hope Atlanta’s Women’s Community Kitchen has served housed and unhoused women and children since the 1980s, preparing nearly 18,000 hot meals last year alone. Hope Atlanta and Georgia’s Own encourage community members to support the Kitchen by volunteering, organizing a food/supply drive or donating directly to Hope Atlanta.

“The statistics paint a stark picture of the hunger challenges so many in our community face, and we see firsthand every day the impact it has on the most vulnerable among us,” said Sarina Marsh, director of community engagement for Hope Atlanta. “The work Hope Atlanta does is essential, and we appreciate partners like Georgia’s Own who understand how high the stakes are and commit to making a meaningful difference.”

To learn more about Georgia’s Own Credit Union and the Georgia’s Own Foundation, please visit www.georgiasown.org.