By Jane Mo

Churches, schools, and businesses are coming together for one purpose this holiday season: 222,000 pounds of food.

The two and a half week friendly competition known as “The Hunger Bowl” is hosted by the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Their mission is to meet the increasing demand of food assistance during the holidays.

“This time of the year people are wanting to have nice meals with their families more than other times and so there’s just more of a demand,” said Susan Dodson, Hunger Bowl coordinator.

Athens Christian School is a regular participant of the event and won last year’s Hunger Bowl.

“It’s our goal here to do as Christ would do and feed the people that are hungry,” said Pam Kennon, Resource Center Director.

The Food Bank is receiving donations until Friday morning. These are some of the drop off locations within the University of Georgia’s campus:

• Grady College of Journalism (GRADY TEAM)
• Terry College of Business (TERRY TEAM)
• Stegeman Facilities (STUDENT ATHLETE ADVISORY COUNCIL)
• Aderhold (COLLEGE OF EDUCATION)

Other organizations have been striving to provide access to healthy food for everyone outside of the holidays.

Athens Farmers Market makes healthy food accessible through a food stamp doubling program. The program takes the money and doubles it for people to spend it on fresh groceries.

“A lot of the money that is given out through the food stamp program is spent on corporate, high calorie, high salt, low nutrition type foods that’s produced by industrialized food systems. What this program is doing is diverting some of those funds from that food system to local, much more beneficial food system to the community, ” said Jan Kozak, manager of Athens Farmers Market.

To find out more about the Athens Farmers Market, visit:

http://athensfarmersmarket.net/