Hancock County is a small community with a big problem: Child hunger

SPARTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Hancock County has the worst rate of child hunger in the nation, and leaders are trying to do something about that.

Nearly 1 in 2 children in the county are growing up without consistent access to food in the county of fewer than 9,000 people.

To help turn things around, county agencies will be passing out free seven-day meal kits from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays during the summer.

For many, that’s a very important resource in a county with such a sad statistic.

That statistic is a symptom, because Hanock County is considered one of the poorest areas of Georgia.

It was also one of the worst-hit counties in the state during the COVID pandemic, ranking fourth for COVID deaths per capita.

Especially hard hit were older residents in Sparta. By May 2020, just weeks into the pandemic, 17 residents of one Sparta nursing home had died.

Now hunger is affecting the younger residents, with 47.8% of children in Hancock County living in food-insecure households, according to recently released data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study.

“When nearly one out of every two children in a community is going hungry, that is not just a statistic. It is a crisis,” said Amy Breitmann, President and CEO of Golden Harvest.

Taking action is not only important when it comes to feeding the community, but the children in it as well, so organizations like Progressive Steps are doing what they can.

“I love kids, and I want kids to eat as well as I want everybody to be able to eat,” said Sonja Jordan, a Progressive Steps advocate.

Where to get food for kids while school is out

As school gets out, it can become harder to feed kids as food insecurity becomes more common in our area.

“If you have a lot of people who are impoverished, you don’t know the brackets of each household. You don’t see it because you’re not in the household or you’re not strictly in that community every day,” said Yisrael.

Leading other locals, organizations and churches to step up, with some even bringing meals to homes themselves.

“Some parents are working, and if you’re going to meet needs, just go ahead and meet needs. Some of the parents are working, and the kids are at home for the summer, so we’re making sure that they can receive the nourishment from the steps program. We have milk, we have juice, we have hot and cold lunches and dinners,” said Pastor Sharon Beckom-Brown, Second Beulah Baptist Church.

Making a free meal a big deal in this area.

“We’re one of the higher need areas in the state of Georgia. So, to have a program such as this is quite a blessing,” said Sharon Beckom-Brown. “I don’t want to say that we’re at the bottom of the totem pole financially, as far as income, as far as resources and jobs, the truth of the matter is we are but God, has a higher realm and he has a calling for us to be able to try to help meet the needs in the community.”

Breitmann said many people may find it hard to believe this level of hunger exists right here in the CSRA.

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“But we see it every day,” she said. “We know parents are doing their best, but they cannot do it alone. It will take all of us, neighbors, partners and leaders, working together to change this story.”

Across Golden Harvest’s service area, 44,790 children are experiencing food insecurity.

In addition to Hancock County, counties like Burke, Richmond, Jefferson, Emanuel, and Warren are also seeing an extremely urgent need, with 1 in 3 children growing up without regular access to the nutrition they need to grow and thrive, Golden Harvest said.

Golden Harvest steps up to feed 13 CSRA counties

Hunger in our area is rising, and to help meet the need, Golden Harvest Food Bank is expanding its Summer Harvest Feeding Program.

The report shows this year is the highest national hunger levels in more than a decade due to rising food costs and Hurricane Helene.

“Everybody was food insecure when the hurricane hit. Nobody knew where their next meal was coming from, so if you add that to the already rising costs of food, already rising costs of bills across the board. Inflation hit us really hard, we are seeing it’s like the perfect storm,” said Priscilla Elliot with Golden Harvest.

If you are interested in volunteering for the food bank, click this link https://goldenharvest.org/volunteer/