According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 8 persons (13 percent) are food insecure in Georgia, and 1 in 6 of these are children. The lingering impacts of the pandemic and rising prices is putting further pressure on people that are in need.

As a part of its ongoing effort to combat food insecurity, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia is partnering with Everyone Eats Foundation to serve communities in need across metro-Atlanta.  Anthem recently provided Everyone Eats with a $150,000 grant to help the organization secure a fixed facility that will be located on the west side of Atlanta. This space will include an Anthem-branded food pantry, community garden and a restaurant/soup kitchen.   

“Our mission is to improve lives and communities, and to do that our focus is on improving the whole health of a person,” said Robert Bunch, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia. “Food insecurity is a major social driver of health. Our partnership with Everyone Eats supports our mission and is helping Georgians gain broader access to resources that are vital for their overall health and well-being.” 

This grant makes possible a community pantry that would provide individuals and families with access to fresh, shelf-stable food.  Through the community garden, individuals and families would be able to help grow and access fresh vegetables and develop valuable skills they could apply at home. Produce from the garden would also be incorporated into meals provided in the restaurant/soup kitchen. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Anthem in moving forward with expanding our outreach and engagement efforts,” said Everyone Eats Foundation founder Summer Johnson. “This type of support will allow us to further our mission of providing critical resources to communities in need.”

Over the past five years, Everyone Eats has helped more than 32,000 families in need through a unique blend of events, mobile delivery, and pop-up markets to bring food and other services to residents throughout Atlanta. They have also conducted toy and book bag drives.