STATEMENT

Hunger in America, and in Coastal Georgia, is the single mother trying to work, afford safe daycare, and feed her children; the elderly person living on social security while trying to afford expensive medicines; a child trying to learn after eating a candy bar and drinking soda for breakfast.

The United States has an abundance of food resources. The USDA estimates that Americans throw away 29 percent of all the food that is grown, manufactured and processed.

America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia utilizes food resources to feed hungry people and to build community. America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia serves 21 counties from Candler to Charlton, distributed over 28.2 million pounds of food in 2021, feeding more than 131,000 people, including 52,000 children, and building capacity for communities to feed themselves.

With community help, America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia can gather, store, and distribute more donated staples to hungry people. More fresh fruits and vegetables are available but current warehouse, freezer and cooler capacity is too limited to accept these additional food resources.

America’s Second Harvest also distributes food through Brown Bags for the Elderly, Mobile Food Pantries, Kids Cafes, School Pantries, and Partner Distribution programs. We are truly where the community comes together to feed mind, body and spirit through food, education, and opportunity so that all people can lead meaningful lives.

Georgians will not ignore these needs in the face of our country’s incredible bounty. America’s Second Harvest is initiating creative ways to feed hungry people and to help our community.