Families struggling to make ends meet during the government shutdown are turning to food banks for help, and volunteers in Peachtree City are stepping up to meet the need.
Midwest Food Bank Georgia, a major distributor of donated food to pantries across the state, has seen a sharp increase in demand. CEO Eric Hodel said the trend extends far beyond Georgia. “Certainly in the last month we’ve seen an increased demand and that goes all the way to our partner agencies that are serving the food recipients,” Hodel said.
A truckload of donations from Trader Joe’s arrived on Tuesday. Volunteers quickly boxed the food for delivery to partner charities. The group recently sent a shipment of disaster-relief boxes to government workers in Pensacola, Florida, and plans to send another truckload soon, though the next destination hasn’t been decided. Each truckload carries more than a thousand boxes, enough for roughly 20,000 meals.
Hodel said the volunteers’ commitment has been inspiring, especially during the shutdown. “One of the things that I’ve been really excited about over the last two or three weeks is the extra energy and the extra bounce that I’ve seen from our volunteers,” he said. “They know the government had been shut down and there was a delay and a disruption in getting the funding of SNAP. Our volunteers have showed up with a renewed energy, knowing that they needed to serve and give and share and help their neighbors more than ever.”
The Midwest Food Bank warehouse in Peachtree City stays stocked from floor to ceiling and turns over frequently throughout the year, powered by the efforts of volunteers. Those who want to help can make donations online through the Midwest Food Bank website.
