Creating A Pathway to Stability by Addressing Food Access in Lanier County

May 8, 2025 Print This Post

When Hurricane Helene hit Lanier County in 2024, Lanier County Family Connection Executive Director Amy Griffin saw firsthand the impact of food insecurity in the community. “The pantries were emptying all over town daily,” she said. “Our Family Resource Center also had an increased number of homeless coming in looking for food.”

According to the latest Georgia KIDS COUNT data, 26.9% of children live in poverty in Lanier County, compared to 18.8% in Georgia. United Way data showed that, in 2022, the amount of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households was 39% in Lanier with 27% of households in poverty—more than double the state average of 13%.

“Access to food isn’t just about meeting a basic need—it’s about creating a pathway to stability,” said Griffin. “Food insecurity creates financial stress, impacting families’ ability to remain stable and self-sufficient. When families don’t have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table, they can focus on long-term goals like education, employment, and financial independence.”

This understanding has led Family Connection to not only address immediate hunger needs but also consider food security’s connection to literacy and family stability.

“Hungry children struggle to learn,” said Griffin. “Proper nutrition is essential for brain development, focus, and school readiness. Ensuring kids have consistent, nutritious meals gives them a stronger foundation for success in school and beyond.”

Family Connection is educating children about healthy foods, empowering families to make healthier choices, and expanding access to food through programs that include:

• an eight-week Healthy Bear Program for around 100 pre-K students, led by the Lanier UGA Extension, which teaches children about MyPlate and the fundamentals of healthy eating;
• a monthly Kids Club at the Farmers Market where students are invited through school to attend the Farmers Market, participate in engaging activities, and receive prizes related to healthy eating and growing food;
• biweekly Street Feeds to provide meals to low-income families and the homeless population;
• community gardens, located at and maintained by Lanier County Elementary School, where the fresh produce is distributed to students and incorporated into school meals; and
• community food pantries located throughout the county where families can access free food.

Lanier County Family Connection is one of four Georgia Family Connection Collaboratives participating in an effort to implement a systems change approach to increase access to healthy food that launched in 2024. With support from Georgia Health Initiative and several Implementing partners, Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) provides technical assistance, training, small grants, and convening power to support local efforts.

“Through this work, we’ve seen that food access is not just an isolated issue—it’s a fundamental part of supporting strong families and future generations,” said Griffin. “That realization has helped us integrate food access into all our core strategies, ensuring we’re meeting the needs of families holistically.”

Lee Anne Cordell, Lanier UGA Extension Family and Consumer Science agent, said when she started her position in 2024, the Family Connection table was her first stop.

“I was told joining Family Connection is the best way to know what’s going on in the community and to make and build relationships. And it’s the greatest thing I’ve done,” said Cordell. “People trust Family Connection, so they know they can trust me too. We’re always better and stronger together.”

Griffin helped UGA Extension get hooked into pre-K classrooms for the Healthy Bear initiative centered on getting children and families excited about eating and preparing nutritious food. Connecting with school administrators at Family Connection meetings led to the addition of a vocabulary development component to the program.

“We want to work together to make things better for every partner at the table,” said Cordell. “It’s always about being supportive and giving whatever we can to make things better for the community. Family Connection helps me do that.”

Lanier County Family Connection is exploring new ways to engage and educate families on meal planning, budgeting for healthy food, and cooking nutritious meals at home. Strengthening partnerships with organizations like Head Start to increase food pantry resources and ensure consistent availability of food for families in need is also a priority.

The Collaborative is working to increase awareness and participation in the Farmers Market to help families take advantage of fresh, locally grown produce with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.

Plans also include expanding community garden efforts by supporting additional schools or community locations in growing their own food.

“Participating in this work through GaFCP is helping us create a stronger, more food secure Lanier County for all families—a place where they don’t just have food for today, but also the tools to sustain a healthier, more stable future,” said Griffin. “This work is already making a tangible impact—and its long-term effects will be even greater.”

Contact:
Krystin Dean
GaFCP Communications Specialist
706-897-4711
krystin@gafcp.org

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