.svg)
Atlanta Community Food Banks - Addressing Food Deserts in Atlanta
Atlanta's food deserts highlight severe disparities in access to fresh, nutritious food, particularly in neighborhoods like Turner Field, downtown Atlanta, Sweet Auburn, Vine City/English Avenue, and parts of South and West Atlanta.
These areas face significant challenges, with low-income and predominantly Black communities disproportionately affected, leading to higher rates of obesity and related health issues.
Efforts to improve food access include mobile farmers markets, urban farms, and community food banks, yet challenges persist, especially in less densely populated regions.
Atlanta Food Bank Locations
The Atlanta Community Food Bank and its partners operate numerous food banks and pantries across the metro Atlanta area to address food insecurity. Here is a list of some key food banks and pantries serving the region:
- Atlanta Community Food Bank: Serves 29 counties across metro Atlanta and North Georgia, distributing millions of meals annually.
- Hosea Helps (formerly Hosea Feed the Hungry): Provides ready-to-eat meals and other food assistance in Atlanta.
- Center for Pan Asian Community Services: Operates a food pantry serving the Asian American community.
- Open Hand Atlanta: Offers food assistance for medically fragile individuals.
- Loaves and Fishes at St. John the Wonderworker Parish: Distributes meals in Atlanta.
- MUST Ministries: Coordinates food distribution at multiple sites in Cobb County.
- Decatur Cooperative Ministry: Provides monthly groceries by appointment in Decatur.
- Toco Hills Community Alliance: Operates a food pantry serving multiple zip codes in DeKalb County.
- Community Assistance Center (CAC): Runs food pantries in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody.
These food banks and pantries work together to combat hunger across the Atlanta metropolitan area, often targeting specific neighborhoods or populations in need
Atlanta Food Deserts
Several neighborhoods in Atlanta face significant challenges in accessing fresh, nutritious food. Areas near Turner Field, downtown Atlanta, and Sweet Auburn have been identified as food deserts.
The Vine City/English Avenue area is particularly affected, with 50% of food stores stocking no fresh fruits or vegetables.
Other intown communities like Cabbagetown and Grant Park, while not necessarily food deserts, are classified as having low access to fresh food, with at least a third of residents living more than one mile from a grocery store.
Less densely populated areas in the south and west of the city have seen fewer gains in fresh food access compared to other parts of Atlanta, exacerbating the issue in these regions.
Impact on Low-Income Neighborhoods
Low-income and predominantly Black neighborhoods in Atlanta are disproportionately affected by food deserts, according to a recent Emory University study.
The research revealed that only 44% of small food stores in the city offer fresh produce, with a stark disparity between majority-Black neighborhoods (36% of stores carrying fresh produce) and non-majority-Black neighborhoods (61%).
Residents in these areas often rely on convenience stores, gas stations, and dollar stores for food shopping, especially those without access to personal transportation. This limited access to nutritious food options contributes to higher rates of obesity and related health issues, with Georgia spending $2.1 billion annually to treat obesity-related diseases.
Initiatives to Improve Healthy Food Access
Efforts to address food deserts in Atlanta include the city's goal to ensure 85% of residents live within half a mile of fresh food by 2022. Neighborhood markets have played a crucial role, accounting for 28% of the increase in access since 2015[1]. Other initiatives include:
- The Fulton Fresh mobile farmers market program, delivering produce to food desert neighborhoods
- Allowing on-site sales at urban farms
- Expanding the MARTA Markets programme
- Launching a "healthy corner store" program
- Creating more community urban food forests
- Considering legislation to allow farms to sell food directly to residents
Despite these efforts, challenges remain, particularly in less densely populated areas of south and west Atlanta. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a lasting impact on food access, creating challenges for indoor food access but also spurring innovations in outdoor operations and food delivery services.
To find local food banks and other community resources, visit our Community Resource Guide toolkit.
