Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper Tuesday announced that the Georgia Farm to Food Bank Program has awarded $825,000 to eight regional food banks, including the Athens-based Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Among the counties it serves are Banks, Barrow, Habersham, Jackson, and White. It is getting $100,000.
The funding will help food banks provide fresh produce and protein to more than 430,000 Georgians facing hunger.
Through the initiative, food is purchased from Georgia farmers and businesses and distributed to Georgians in need through the Georgia Food Bank Network. Each year, the effort provides more than 14 million pounds of food and is supported by an annual appropriation from the Georgia General Assembly.