Cobb non-profit groups seek $1M from county for food needs

Cobb Community Foundation response fund

Three non-profits that assist Cobb residents with essential living services are asking the Cobb Board of Commissioners to provide $1 million in funding to help them deliver emergency food supplies to those who need them.

The Cobb Community Foundation, the United Way of Metro Atlanta Northwest Region and the Cobb Collaborative will make the request at the commissioners’ meeting next Tuesday, April 28.

Here’s the message the non-profits have been sharing:

An unprecedented response to the COVID-19 crisis on the part of non-profits and faith-based organizations is focused on the most significant need of those in poverty… food.
Both of Cobb’s school systems quickly pivoted to ensure thousands of school children who rely on school nutritious meals are still able to access food. Also, Cobb County non-profit and faith-based organizations quickly began collaborating to efficiently deploy resources to the most vulnerable in our community, including children and families. However, the facts are staggering.
An estimated 16,500 families were served at non-profit food distribution sites in March, up from an average of 6,500 in January and February.
In the last 2 weeks of March alone, roughly 460 tons of food were distributed, nearly three times the average for a typical two-week period.
Because of job loss among Cobb’s already most vulnerable populations, it is estimated that the hunger will go on long after COVID-19 is under control.
Despite the heroic efforts, many organizations are overwhelmed by the unrelenting demand and the uncertainty of an end date.
Food has become scarcer, requiring many non-profits to purchase historically donated food in addition to incurring the additional expenses associated with distribution. Some have even incurred debt to provide the food needed.
Funding will provide immediate support for individuals in need.

The commissioners will be holding a work session at 9 a.m. and regular meeting at 1:30 next Tuesday, and it will be held in a virtual setting. No agenda is available yet, but when there is it will be posted here.