Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms today joined Kroger and the Atlanta Community Food Bank to launch the “More than Mac” campaign created to fight food insecurity and hunger. What started off as a simple photo share of Christmas dinner, quickly turned into a social media phenomenon as followers critiqued the Mayor’s presentation of the classic dish – Macaroni and Cheese. While users near and far joined in the laughter, the photo sparked debates across disciplines about a very real problem many communities face daily. For residents who suffer from food insecurity this campaign extends beyond eating macaroni – it is the difference between going to bed with a full stomach or spending another night having eaten nothing at all.
In the spirit of One Atlanta, the City is shifting the conversation to shine a light of remembrance on the thousands of Atlantans who face food insecurity and hunger every day. In partnership with Kroger and The Atlanta Community Food Bank, Mayor Bottoms is asking Atlantans citywide to “put your macaroni where your mouth is” and participate in the City of Atlanta More Than Mac food drive.
“Many struggle daily to find adequate food for their families and themselves,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “It is my hope that our More than Mac campaign will help bring awareness to the disparities facing our communities and serve as a step toward eradicating hunger in Atlanta.”
This weekend, as Atlanta welcomes visitors from across the globe for Super Bowl LIII, Kroger customers will have the opportunity to get involved by rounding up at the register. From February 1 – February 16, visit one of the 28 Kroger stores to begin donating. In 2018, Kroger launched the #ZeroHungerZeroWaste Donation Challenge to educate customers and communities across America to tackle hunger and waste. By donating groceries to their local food bank, customers shared their generous actions via social media for a good cause. Since 2017, Kroger has donated more than 325 million meals through Feeding America and aims to donate three billion meals by 2025.
“In Atlanta alone, more than 800,000 residents face food insecurity. The “More than Mac” round-up is a testament to Kroger’s commitment to our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative – and our vision to end hunger in the places we call home by 2025,” said Felix Turner, corporate affairs manager for Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “We are pleased to partner with Mayor Bottoms and metro-Atlanta communities on this critical endeavor.”
Kroger proceeds from the More than Mac campaign will support the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). At present, the ACFB supports 29 counties across metro Atlanta and north Georgia distributing over 60 million meals to more than 755,000 people annually. Food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters, and senior centers are among the agencies that receive products from ACFB. In turn, these partner agencies provide food and other critical resources to food insecure residents.
“We are thrilled to be able to work with Mayor Lance Bottoms, Kroger, and other Corporate Partners as we work to end hunger in our community,” said Kyle Waide, CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “It takes lots of food, people and big ideas working together to end hunger, so that no one in our community worries about where their next meal is coming from. “
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