Food bank helps needy, but needs help itself

GAINESVILLE - Plenty of people in north Georgia are spending the holiday season the same way they've spent most of the year- hungry. But there is a way to help those less fortunate.

The Georgia Mountain Food Bank continues to serve local families that are not getting enough nutrition living in Hall, Dawson, Forsyth, Lumpkin and Union counties.

Executive Director Kay Blackstock says they have seen a huge increase in the number of people living without the proper amount of food.

"Upwards of 50, 60, 75 percent increase over the previous year," said Blackstock, speaking on WDUN's The Local Hour. "So it is a crisis."

Blackstock said plenty of families are living with so-called food insecurity, meaning they have no access to the proper food for a healthy body and mind.

And without that healthy diet, it's a domino effect of bad news, especially for children.

This year the Georgia Mountain Food Bank helped raise 650,000 pounds of food for needy families, according to Blackstock.

And now it's time to increase that supply with a bigger building.

"We really need this facility so we can expand the work that we're doing. That's the number one thing that we need right now. And that's flat out going to take money."

To find out how to help the food bank, or to GET help, click on the link below.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/12/225774