COVID still driving hunger in Albany area, nationwide

ALBANY — Life for many has returned to normal in the post-pandemic world, but the lingering effects remain for some who are still struggling to feed themselves and their families, and the organization that helps out in southwest Georgia is also feeling the pinch.

Food banks across the country also are dealing with higher demand and less food available for distribution, said Frank Sheppard, president and CEO of the Columbus-based Feeding the Valley Food Bank.

“It’s a perfect storm of a number of issues, from the supply chain to the inflation to the pandemic,” he said of the current situation. “Oddly, canned goods are very difficult to acquire. Canned goods go into every one of the 12,000 boxes we supply to families every month. It’s one of those situations we’ve never imagined in 40 years of food banking.”

Of those 12,000 boxes, 3,000 are part of a program that distributes food monthly on-site in Calhoun, Dougherty, Lee and Terrell counties to help feed 12,000 residents. Most of the food distributions in the 18 counties the food bank covers are made through partners like churches and other nonprofit organizations.

During the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture increased its supply of food for organizations like Feeding the Valley, but that has been reduced. In November, Sheppard said that food supplies were 40% below pre-pandemic levels, and the need has been increasing due to inflation.

Others are still struggling due to the impacts of COVID.

“Even though people are back to work, they’re still dealing with the financial hangover,” Sheppard said. “They could be behind on rent, on bills. It’s still hard from many different standpoints.

“The supply issues it’s causing, the hangover effect it’s having on families. Food banks are planning on this level of need for the foreseeable future. Really, all of that is a factor that came about because of the pandemic.”

Eventually the supply chain issues will be worked out, but there are other challenges for the food bank, which began operation in Dougherty County serving it and three additional counties in June 2019. Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Quitman, Randolph and Terrell counties are among the most poverty-stricken in the state, Sheppard said.

“In some of those counties, child food insecurity is 40%,” he said. “(For the elderly) it’s sheer numbers, with the Baby Boomer generation getting up there. Ten thousand people a day are turning 65, and some of them don’t have the resources to make it alone.”

The public has the opportunity to help this month through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive organized by the U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers on May 13.

“It’s a great opportunity for everybody to clean out their cupboard of items that are close to the expiration date,” Sheppard said. “Canned goods are good for two years after the expiration date. We will make use of every food item that comes in.”

The food bank is still looking to raise the money necessary to fully fund the $5 million 35,000-square-foot facility on Ledo Road.

Volunteers also are needed, and individuals can make online donations or sign up at https://feedingthevalley.org/. Donations can be mailed to Feeding the Valley, P.O. Box 8904, Columbus Ga. 31908, and monetary donations and food can be dropped off at the 1706 Ledo Road facility.

File Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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