Hancock County tops nation in child hunger, new statistics show
SPARTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Hancock County has the highest rate of child hunger in the nation, Golden Harvest Food Bank reported Thursday.
Nearly 1 in 2 children in Hancock County are growing up without consistent access to food – something we’ve already reported – but the latest figures show just where that fits in the national picture.
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.
According to recently released data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, 47.8% of children in Hancock County are living in food-insecure households.
“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.
She said many people may find it hard to believe this level of hunger exists right here in the CSRA.
MORE FROM NEWS 12
Safety and security: Taking care of your family
- A crime called jugging is spreading through the region
- How to protect your family from fentanyl
- Where to get food for kids while school is out
- Broad Street Ministry Center expands services for those in need
- Parents share concerns about new Columbia County library rules
- TSA warns travelers of using free charging stations
“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.
Statistics from Golden Harvest 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/.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
