Across metro Atlanta, food pantries and volunteers are working to ensure families have what they need for the holidays. Among them are two organizations: Dreamz Always Come True, a Sandy Springs–based nonprofit, and separately, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, which is expanding its reach in high-need communities.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank hosted a media volunteer day last Monday at its new Adamsville food pantry, giving journalists a firsthand look at the growing need for food assistance in southwest Atlanta.
The Adamsville pantry opened last August and is located in an area of high food insecurity, said Kyle Waide, president and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
The pantry serves close to 1,000 households per week, with roughly 10,000 pounds of food moving through the facility daily, Waide said. The Food Bank aims to distribute 10 million meals across its service area over the holiday season, supported by volunteers, donors, food suppliers, and neighbors.
Inside the Adamsville pantry, residents can choose from more than nonperishable goods. The facility is stocked with fresh produce, dairy, frozen proteins, and refrigerated items, offering a balanced selection that supports healthier diets.
On Monday, a standing line of residents formed at the door, many of them senior citizens. Inside, journalists serving as volunteers, were stationed throughout the pantry to help distribute items. SaportaReport assisted in the freezer section, where residents with carts overflowing with food added frozen turkeys and ham, chicken, six-packs of soda, and more.
“We support about 700 partners across 29 counties,” Waide said. “But in places where those partners don’t exist, we run pantries ourselves. It’s a great way for us to get food into communities where it’s really needed. We’re really proud of this latest one in Adamsville. It’s a historic community and a place where there is a tremendous amount of need.”
In addition to Adamsville, the nonprofit operates local community food centers in Marietta, Jonesboro and Stone Mountain.
Food insecurity has risen sharply, with the number of people seeking assistance increasing by 70 percent in the last three years due largely to inflation, Waide added. The federal shutdown increased demand as well.
To meet that need, the organization tapped $5 million from its reserves last month, which was supported by community donations.
Holiday Outreach in Sandy Springs
In Sandy Springs, nonprofit Dreams Always Come True is preparing for its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday at its new community center. Founder Melinda Terry has been serving the hot dinner feast to families in need for 10 years, she said.
The menu includes carved turkey, ham, rotisserie chicken, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, dressing, spaghetti, string beans, lasagna, greens, dinner rolls, and more.
Since 2022, event attendees have been able to take home frozen turkeys, fresh vegetables, and nonperishable food items such as boxed macaroni, dressing mix, and canned goods.
Last year, the nonprofit served 150 people, Terry said.
Terry added that she was a single mother when she launched the event in 2015 and could relate to people in need.
“I see things that people don’t always see,” she said. “I know how it is when you work and still might not be able to make ends meet. People don’t always understand that. I’m happy to be able to help and to contribute to the community in this way.”
The event will take place Sunday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at Dreamz Community Center, located inside River Springs Shopping Center at 8610 Roswell Road, Suite 340, in Sandy Springs.
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