According to welfareinfo.org, Rome/Floyd County has a poverty rate of approximately 18% which equates to approximately 16,000 people in our immediate community who live below the poverty level ($25,100 in annual income for a family of 4). Two of our adjoining counties, Chattooga, and Gordon, have poverty rates just below 20%. Research conducted by Feeding America, reporting the food insecurity rate by county in Georgia, indicates the Northwest Georgia region of the state to have well above average rates of food insecurity in 2019 of 15 to 19% of the population (Source: FeedingAmerica.org). The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 has significantly exacerbated the problems.

Nationwide, Feeding America projected that, since 2020, the number of people suffering from food insecurity has increased from 35 million to approximately 45 million, including 15 million children in rural areas like Northwest Georgia and racial/ethnic groups have been hardest hit. With the onset of persistent inflation driving food costs for the average household up by 10% so far this year with the trend continuing upward coupled with lingering supply chain disruptions, we expect our region of the state and country to become even more food insecure as those who were living on the economic margin of poverty are driven lower socioeconomically.