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Last year, 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 . 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, accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an .

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, compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Atlanta using data from . 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
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PR/Marketing Internship
- Organization: The Borgen Project
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Meal Assistant Coordinator
- Organization: Decatur Cooperative Ministry
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FoodCommune Volunteers for Various Opportunities
- Organization: FoodCommune
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Pantry Volunteer
- Organization: Intown Cares
- Dates: Dec 6 to Mar 5
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Need Volunteer Chefs
- Organization: ATLANTA HOSPITAL HOSPITALITY HOUSE INC
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Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
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Court Ordered Community Service Volunteers Needed
- Organization: Handmaidens Ministries Inc
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SATURDAY EMERGENCY FOOD HOME DELIVERIES
- Organization: Feeding GA Families
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Cook a meal for your neighbors in the Decatur, GA area
- Organization: Lasagna Love
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Food Rescue - Midtown
- Organization: Bagel Rescue
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Volunteers Needed to Rescue Food & Fight Hunger in Atlanta!
- Organization: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Inc
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Giving Garden Volunteer
- Organization: GIVING GARDENS INC
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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
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Want to help Families or Senior Citizen(s) in the community?! Volunteer with Family Bridge Inc.
- Organization: FAMILY BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL INC
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Meals on Wheels for the Homeless - 3rd and 5th Sundays
- Organization: A Grateful Mind International
- Dates: Nov 12 to Feb 10
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Meals on Wheels Delivery Drivers Needed in Roswell/Alpharetta!!
- Organization: Senior Services North Fulton
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Volunteers needed for Atlanta Hawks basketball season 2023.
- Organization: WILLIAM STREET INC
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Volunteer Opportunity with Rise Against Hunger
- Organization: Rise Against Hunger
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Serve Coffee to Veterans
- Organization: Soldiers' Angels - Atlanta
- Date: Mar 5
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FEED THE HOMELESS
- Organization: STELLA LOVE NON-PROFIT
- Dates: Dec 30 to Dec 31
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Deliver Meals to Homebound Seniors and Individuals Living with Chronic and Terminal Ill
- Organization: Open Hand Atlanta
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Food Distribution Associate
- Organization: Positive Passtime, Inc.
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This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.