Hunger Action Month: Why Your Gift of Food or Funds Matters Right Now

Every September, the Atlanta Community Food Bank calls on communities across our region to recognize Hunger Action Month, a nationwide initiative launched by Feeding America, to raise awareness of food insecurity and rally people to do something about it. At StreetWise Georgia, we see the need behind those numbers every single day, and this September, we're asking our community to stand with us. 

The Reality Behind the Numbers

Food insecurity in this country has climbed to its highest point in more than a decade. Nationally, tens of millions of people, including millions of children, don't know where their next meal is coming from. Here in Georgia, roughly 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children face hunger. 

Those aren't statistics from somewhere else. They're our neighbors here: the family down the street stretching a paycheck between rent and groceries, the parent skipping a meal so their kids don't have to, the senior on a fixed income deciding between medication and dinner. 

That's exactly why StreetWise Georgia exists. 

What StreetWise is Already Doing

Through our Mobile Food Pantries and Heaven’s Grocery Store, we work to make sure hunger doesn't have the final word for the families who come through our doors. Last year alone, our weekday client food distribution served more than 18,000 individuals and put over a million pounds of food into our neighbors’ homes. 

None of that happens without a community that shows up. Hunger Action Month is our reminder, and our invitation, to keep that momentum going into fall. 

Two Ways to Take Action This September

1. Give Food 

• Every non-perishable item donated goes directly toward stocking our shelves for families who visit Heaven's Grocery Store and our Mobile Food Pantries. Canned proteins, peanut butter, rice, pasta, and shelf-stable milk are always needed and always welcome. 

2. Give Funds 

• A financial gift allows StreetWise Georgia to purchase food efficiently, often stretching further than a retail grocery run, while helping us fill the specific gaps on our pantry shelves at any given moment. Right now, that includes rebuilding our large meat freezer after losing 45,000+ pounds of meat due to a failed compressor this summer. Funding also supports the non-food services woven into every client visit: resource navigation, support, and a path toward long-term stability, not just a one-time meal. 

Both matter. Both move a family closer to stability.

Why September is the Moment

Hunger doesn't take a season off, but Hunger Action Month gives our community a focused moment to respond together. It's a chance to turn awareness into action before the fall and winter months bring even greater need. When StreetWise Georgia shows up in September, we walk into the holiday season already strong. 

Join the Fight Against Hunger

You don't need a large gift to make a difference. A bag of groceries. A recurring monthly donation. A conversation with your workplace about hosting a food drive. Every bit of it adds up to a neighbor who doesn't go without. 

Donate now → and help StreetWise Georgia keep Gwinnett County and surrounding area families fed this Hunger Action Month and beyond. 

Want to learn more about the movement behind this month? Visit the Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Action Month page to see the full picture of food insecurity across our region.