The Chattanooga Area Food Bank was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Arby's Foundation, through the Georgia Food Bank Association, to help fund the "Helping Hands Ending Hunger" (HHEH) program in Chattooga County, Ga. Chattooga is one of nine Northwest Georgia counties the Chattanooga Area Food Bank serves throughout its 20-county service area, where 1,580 children have been identified as being food insecure, which equates to 1 in 4 children.
The "Helping Hands Ending Hunger" program was established in Chattooga County to address childhood hunger issues and give children an opportunity to "pay it forward" to other children in need. In 2015 and 2016, HHEH piloted a program that collected food products, including prepackaged and unopened crackers, cookies, breakfast bars, cereal, fruit and beverage items, such as milk and juice, which were untouched and uneaten during school breakfasts and lunches in two schools. Once the food was collected, student volunteers distributed the food each week to families in need within their school.
Scott Bruce