Meals Provided To Older Cherokee Residents From Relief Fund

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Atlanta Regional Commission recently provided $1.9 million in federal pandemic relief funds to expand the number of older adults across metro Atlanta receiving meal deliveries from Atlanta Regional Commission partner providers.

The funding will enable Atlanta Regional Commission and its partner organizations to provide home-delivered nutrition to approximately 1,500 new clients at risk for food insecurity.

The $1.9 million funding allocation represents a 28 percent increase in federal funds for nutrition services for older adults.

The dollars come from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, approved by Congress to respond to the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As the federally designated Area Agency on Aging, Atlanta Regional Commission receives federal funding and partners within Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Atlanta Regional Commission has worked with its partners to help meet the changing vital needs of older and disabled metro Atlanta residents. For example, government flexibility and partnerships between Atlanta Regional Commission and its providers have enabled meals once offered in a group or “congregate” settings to be delivered to people’s homes.

“We are so appreciative of the unprecedented generosity and new flexibility being shown by Congress during this difficult time,” said Becky Kurtz, managing director of Atlanta Regional Commission’s Aging and Independence Services. “In April, the collaboration between Atlanta Regional Commission and its partners resulted in 85 percent more people receiving home-delivered meals than during an average month the previous year — and this was before the new federal funding was available for Atlanta Regional Commission to distribute.”

Atlanta Regional Commission’s empower-line program provides trained phone and online counselors who continue to help older individuals and their caregivers to get their needs met at empowerline.org and 404-463-3333.

ARC Allocated the Following Families First Act Funds

• Cherokee County Senior Services: $100,654.95
• Clayton County Senior Services: $110,714.49
• Cobb County Senior Services: $277,170.43
• DeKalb County Office of Aging: $345,137.83
• Douglas County Senior Services: $65,594.21
• Fayette Senior Services: $63,652.89
• Fulton County Department of Senior Services: $445,335.35
• Gwinnett County Senior Services: $306,915.30
• Henry County Senior Services: $91,014.98
• Rockdale County Senior Services: $50,272.57
• Center for Pan Asian Community Services: $64,400