Gwinnett County is increasing its support for families facing disruptions in federal nutrition assistance programs by allocating $250,000 to provide essential food and hygiene products. The county will use existing contracts to purchase shelf-stable foods and household goods identified as most needed by local food cooperative partners.
The distribution will be managed through a zero-dollar agreement with six cooperative ministries located in Buford, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, and Norcross. After delivery to a central site, county employees and volunteers will sort the supplies and distribute them directly to these partner locations. Residents seeking assistance are encouraged to contact their local co-op for appointments.
“When federal safety nets are disrupted, local governments and communities have to step in,” said Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “More than 90,000 Gwinnett residents rely on SNAP, and as those benefits pause, we’re doing what we can to fill the gap. What started as food distribution has become a lifeline for thousands of families.”
This initiative continues five years of partnerships focused on addressing food insecurity in Gwinnett County. One ongoing collaboration is with the Atlanta Community Food Bank through the Mobile Food Distribution Program that delivers food directly to residents at various locations.
“These co-ops have been on the ground helping families for years,” said Community Services Director Lindsey Jorstad. “Working through them allows us to reach residents across the entire county while making sure help gets where it’s needed most. Our goal is to meet people with dignity and make it a little easier for families to get by.”
Items being distributed include soups, cereals, peanut butter, pancake mix, fruit cups, granola bars, electrolyte drinks as well as paper towels, disinfecting wipes, laundry detergent, dish soap and other basic household needs.
In 2025 alone so far, Gwinnett County has hosted 42 mobile food distributions serving 334,000 meals to more than 64,000 residents. Since 2020 there have been 323 distributions serving over 430,000 residents from more than 103,000 households with a total of 2.8 million pounds of food provided.
At these events families also receive additional services such as home safety education from Fire and Emergency Services—including smoke detector installation—plumbing repairs from Water Resources Assistance Program staff who install water-saving fixtures; plus onsite connections from One Stop for Help Community Navigators who link residents with housing support health care or job resources.
Upcoming mobile food distributions are scheduled at several parks throughout November and December:
– Nov. 4 at Lenora Park in Snellville
– Nov. 18 at Bryson Park in Lilburn
– Dec. 9 at Rock Springs Park in Lawrenceville
– Dec. 16 at Shorty Howell Park in Duluth
– Dec. 23 at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville
Residents needing assistance can contact One Stop for Help Community Navigators any time at (770) 822-8850 or use the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Pantry Map online.
Additionally county teams plan to provide over 450 meals for students enrolled in afterschool programs during school breaks so no child goes hungry during this period.
For older adults aged sixty or above who are homebound ill or incapacitated Health and Human Services Division offers weekly deliveries of frozen meals via its Home Delivered Meals Program; information is available by calling (678) 377-4150.
“Every number we share represents a life touched,” Hendrickson concluded. “We’re asking the community to stay involved — donate volunteer or simply spread the word. Every act of kindness moves us forward.”
Gwinnett County intends to continue searching for further funding sources supporting these efforts.
Enrollment numbers show that Gwinnett County schools had an increase of less than one-tenth percent between the previous year and the 2022–23 school year according to state data (https://www.gadoe.org/). In total there were about 190,044 students enrolled during that period (https://www.gadoe.org/), with white students making up eighteen percent—the third largest ethnic group within public schools (https://www.gadoe.org/).
