Atlanta Community Food Bank

Impact

Carlton chose the Atlanta Community Food Bank because he has seen, over many years, the critical role it plays in meeting real needs across the city. Through the influence of a family friend who works at the Food Bank, along with his own volunteer experiences, he has developed a deep respect for the organization’s mission and the scale of its impact.

Food insecurity affects families in neighborhoods throughout metro Atlanta, including communities close to Whitefield. For many families, access to consistent, nourishing food is not guaranteed, and children are often among those most affected. The Atlanta Community Food Bank addresses this need both through direct programming and through partnerships with local food pantries that serve their surrounding communities.

This grant would strengthen both of those efforts — helping provide meals for students and families through the School Pantry Program while also expanding the reach of four nearby food pantry partners serving families with urgent and ongoing needs.

How the Grant Would Help

This $30,000 grant will be used in two ways to increase food access for children and families in metro Atlanta.

First, $10,000 will support the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s School Pantry Program, providing approximately 30,000 meals to students and their families in metro Atlanta school districts. This program helps meet a practical and immediate need by placing food support in locations that are accessible to families.

The remaining $20,000 will be distributed in $5,000 partner account allocations to four local pantry partners:

• Collins United Methodist Food Pantry — $5,000
• Another Chance of Atlanta — $5,000
• Family Life Restoration Center — $5,000
• St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church Food Pantry — $5,000

Each of these partner allocations can be used to source as much as 50,000 pounds of food from the Food Bank, significantly increasing each pantry’s ability to serve food-insecure families in nearby communities.

Together, this funding will support both broad regional impact and hyper-local access — providing meals, strengthening trusted community partners, and helping ensure that more families have the food they need within a one-year period.

Student Involvement

Carlton has been connected to this cause for several years through both direct service and ongoing support. His involvement includes participating in Hunger Walk/Run events in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025, as well as volunteering at a local food pantry and giving from his own allowance.

His support has grown over time from awareness to action, and he plans to continue serving through future Hunger Walk/Run participation and continued volunteer involvement.

That long-term connection, combined with his desire to support families in the city where he lives, makes this a meaningful and well-grounded grant request.