Food and Essentials in Atlanta Schools
In 260 schools across the United States, Feed the Children’s Food and Essentials Hubs are helping make an impact on childhood hunger and education.
These Hubs provide food, snacks, hygiene items, and other essentials – all for free – that students need to thrive in the classroom.
Imagine knowing that there is no food at your house, but before you leave school that day, you can visit your Hub to pick up a box of pasta, sauce, and vegetables. Or knowing that your family is behind on rent, but you can still get shampoo, deodorant, and other items you need. With this program, Feed the Children hoped to create that level of support – and we’ve seen great success!
One of our Hubs is located in Fulton County School District in Atlanta, Georgia. Every month, the school receives a shipment containing food and other supplies from Feed the Children and our partners. In the 2022-2023 school year, we provided nearly 50,000 pounds of food and over 37,000 pounds of essentials to Fulton County students grades K-12.
Recently, we were back in Atlanta and headed over to the Hub at Tri-Cities High School to visit! The school’s Hub has served over 1,000 students, and educators and staff have been seeing an impact:
“When you come to school and you don’t have to worry about your next meal, or if you’re able to have the essential care items that you need to be able to perform your best and be your best, that’s a huge relief for students,” said Tonya Bowie, a Federal Programs Specialist at Fulton County. “I believe that it opens their minds and brings them to the great potential and opportunities in front of them, to be able to excel in their academics.”
Research supports the idea that having enough to eat helps k not just physically, but mentally as well. When kids have enough to eat, they can focus on school and their futures! Having the Hub may even help some of them take those momentous steps across the graduation stage.
“You would be surprised at some of the things that keep kids from graduating,” said Sara Blake Smith, school social worker at Tri-Cities. “I think a lot of people think that it’s big things that keep kids from graduating, like big life traumas or crises, but things like food… add up.”
We were honored to have our work recognized by the district, when Feed the Children was named the 2023 Fulton County “Partner of the Year.”
None of the work that we do is possible without your help. When you donate, the impact of your gift is felt in 260 schools – and well beyond!
