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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Local food banks feel effects of food stamp cuts
Roswell
Sandy
Springs
Norcross
Tucker
BY DAN WHISENHUNT
danwhisenhunt@reporternewspapers.net
Local food banks said that the loss of
food stamp benefits provided by govern
ment stimulus money will make it hard
er to keep their pantries full.
On Nov. 1, a temporary increase in
spending on the federal Supplemen
tal Nutrition As
sistance Program
— more common
ly known as food
stamps — expired,
according to the
nonpartisan Cen
ter on Budget and
Policy Priorities.
The federal government had increased
spending in 2009 as part of a stimulus
program intended to improve the econ
omy.
CBPP estimates the end of the in
crease will mean the state of Georgia
will receive $210 million less from the
SNAP program, affecting about 2 mil
lion Georgia residents. That means more
families will be turning to food banks
for help, food bank operators say.
In fact, demand for services from
food banks in Sandy Springs, Dun-
woody, Buckhead and Brookhaven
started rising in anticipation of the cuts
taking effect.
Tamara Carrera, executive director of
the Community Assistance Center that
serves Sandy Springs and Dunwoody,
said some of the center’s clients will lose
funding for a week’s worth of food.
“When just the threats of the cuts
were happening in August, we went
from 550 families per month to 830
families per month,” Carrera said. “It
jumped almost 300 families.”
Carrera said she expects November’s
numbers will be higher than 830 fam
ilies.
Helen Cunningham, executive di
rector of the Buckhead Christian Min
istry, said the group has seen a 10 per
cent jump in demand. Cunningham
said since 2009 the ministry’s food bank
has distributed 1,500 to 1,700 bags of
food each month.
“We’re doing 1,800 to 2,000 bags a
month, and I anticipate that to grow
further as the food stamps expire,” she
said.
Stanley Rose with the Suthers Cen
ter for Christian Outreach in Chamblee
said the center is seeing a 50 percent in
crease in clients each week.
“Were giving out 50 to 55 pounds of
food,” Rose said. “We re going through a
hell of a lot of food.”
Food banks said they are asking the
public to help them keep up with the in
crease in demand for their services.
“People are not back where they need
to be, so it’s causing problems,” Rose
said.
Here’s how you can help:
The Suthers Center accepts do
nations Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The
center is located at 3550 Broad Street,
Suite F, Chamblee, 30341. For more
information, visit www.sutherscenter.
com.
Buckhead Christian Minis
try accepts donations from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, at
2847 Piedmont
Road, Atlanta,
30305.
You can also
make a financial
donation through
the website. A $25
donation feeds a family of four for one
week, Cunningham said. To learn more,
visit http://buckheadchristianministry.
org.
The Community Assistance
Center accepts food pantry donations at
the following times:
Monday — Thursday, 9 a.m. - 11
a.m., and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Fridays, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
First and second Saturdays of the
month, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
CAC is located at 1130 Hightower
Trail, Sandy Springs, 30350. For more
information, visit www.ourcac.org.
SPECIAL PHOTOS
Above, Jane Simons, member
of Cathedral of Christ the King,
stocks shelves in Buckhead
Christian Ministry’s food pantry.
Left, Buckhead Christian
Ministry volunteer Caroline
Haynes distributes bags of
food to a BCM client.
Do you know an organization or
individual making a difference
in our community? Email
editor@reporternewspapers.net
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