Food bank volunteer opportunities near Atlanta

Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Atlanta using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Community volunteer hours available doing concerts, shows, and sporting events 2023.
- Organization: Idealist.org
- Dates: Dec 11 to Jan 3
- Read more on website

PR/Marketing Internship
- Organization: The Borgen Project
- Read more on website

Meal Assistant Coordinator
- Organization: Decatur Cooperative Ministry
- Read more on website

FoodCommune Volunteers for Various Opportunities
- Organization: FoodCommune
- Read more on website

Pantry Volunteer
- Organization: Intown Cares
- Dates: Dec 6 to Mar 5
- Read more on website

Need Volunteer Chefs
- Organization: ATLANTA HOSPITAL HOSPITALITY HOUSE INC
- Read more on website

Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
- Read more on website

Court Ordered Community Service Volunteers Needed
- Organization: Handmaidens Ministries Inc
- Read more on website

SATURDAY EMERGENCY FOOD HOME DELIVERIES
- Organization: Feeding GA Families
- Read more on website

Cook a meal for your neighbors in the Decatur, GA area
- Organization: Lasagna Love
- Read more on website

Food Rescue - Midtown
- Organization: Bagel Rescue
- Read more on website

Volunteers Needed to Rescue Food & Fight Hunger in Atlanta!
- Organization: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Inc
- Read more on website

Giving Garden Volunteer
- Organization: GIVING GARDENS INC
- Read more on website

Love Beyond Christmas when you ring the bell! (NWest Atl/Marietta)
- Organization: The Salvation Army Metro Atlanta Area Command
- Dates: Dec 1 to Dec 22
- Read more on website

Want to help Families or Senior Citizen(s) in the community?! Volunteer with Family Bridge Inc.
- Organization: FAMILY BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL INC
- Read more on website

Meals on Wheels for the Homeless - 3rd and 5th Sundays
- Organization: A Grateful Mind International
- Dates: Nov 12 to Feb 10
- Read more on website

Meals on Wheels Delivery Drivers Needed in Roswell/Alpharetta!!
- Organization: Senior Services North Fulton
- Read more on website

Volunteers needed for Atlanta Hawks basketball season 2023.
- Organization: WILLIAM STREET INC
- Read more on website

Volunteer Opportunity with Rise Against Hunger
- Organization: Rise Against Hunger
- Read more on website

Serve Coffee to Veterans
- Organization: Soldiers' Angels - Atlanta
- Date: Mar 5
- Read more on website

FEED THE HOMELESS
- Organization: STELLA LOVE NON-PROFIT
- Dates: Dec 30 to Dec 31
- Read more on website

Deliver Meals to Homebound Seniors and Individuals Living with Chronic and Terminal Ill
- Organization: Open Hand Atlanta
- Read more on website

Food Distribution Associate
- Organization: Positive Passtime, Inc.
- Read more on website

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.