MACON, Ga. — Every five years, Congress reworks the farm bill, but it affects a lot more than just farmers. It impacts the prices of the food you buy and eat, and it helps food banks keep their shelves stocked. The funding for the farm bill plays a large part in how the Middle Georgia Food Bank can keep shelves filled for people in need.
Kathy McCollum is the CEO of Middle Georgia Food Bank, and she says, "Most of our food goes out through our partner agencies. There are about 200 of those across 24 counties."
One of the organizations Middle Georgia Food Bank collaborates with is St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. According to Pat Dunaway, the food pantry coordinator, the church started the pantry about a decade ago. At first, they served only a handful of people.
"It was a sparse little bag of the staples -- corn and green beans -- and then if we were lucky, we would have some soup or some cereals and so forth," said Dunaway.
But after partnering with the food bank five years ago, “We were able to afford I call it 'real food,' some of the healthier food for them," Dunaway said.
Now, the church's food pantry provides for 350 people twice a month, including refrigerated items such as meat and eggs.
"We can pretty much give them three or four complete meals with vegetables, fruit, and staples," Dunaway said. McCollum agrees about the importance for the need for food assistance.
"To be able to take care of the folks that are still in need of food assistance," McCollum said.
The food bank is crucial for a church located in Macon's Pleasant Hill neighborhood, which is classified as a "food desert."
"With the major grocery store closing, it left the people for blocks and blocks with nowhere to go except the expensive little corner stores," Dunaway said.
The food bank is helping to ensure each person they serve gets a well-balanced meal. The United States House of Representatives is set to debate the future of the farm bill. The current farm bill is set to expire in September, and food distribution workers worry that any major cuts there will turn into cuts at the dinner table here.