Metro Atlanta nonprofit asks for help meeting summer meal needs

MARIETTA, Ga. — Summer meals can be a lifeline for many metro Atlanta families during school breaks.

Yet a group in metro Atlanta that regularly provides such help to thousands of children each summer says they, in turn, need help meeting their needs.

“We saw our numbers triple in the first few weeks, which is astounding to us,” Ike Reichard, CEO and president of MUST Ministries, told 11Alive.

The organization, now in its 29th year of providing summer meals, offers grab-and-go options including breakfast and lunch for children in the North Atlanta area. As schools are closed for summer break, hunger often increases – with families unable to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, to which nearly 64 percent of Georgia public school students are eligible.

This need arises as families turn to outside agencies for support. Still, Reichard said MUST ministries weren’t expecting the current numbers.

“Of course, inflation is one of the main reasons why our numbers are increasing,” Reichard explained. “But we never anticipated our numbers would triple.”

In addition to high prices on everything from food to rent, Reichard attributes the increased need to the challenge some families face juggling multiple jobs while trying to take advantage of summer meals provided by school districts. Several metro districts have set breakfast and lunch hours and require children to eat on site.

As for MUST Ministries, the organization is operating 29 physical locations for its takeout meals this summer, in addition to its regular food programming. Such action means serving more than 7,000 children each week, Reichard said, with hopes of serving more than half a million meals this summer.

Yet resources are running out, prompting the group to appeal for support on social media.

“In the next five weeks, what we need most is prayer,” he said. “Because the need is so great.”

Reichard and the group hope more donations will be made or groups will come together to help prepare more “kid kits” for families.

“No one wants to go to an organization like MUST,” he shared. “I mean, it’s very difficult to say ‘we can’t make ends meet,’ but that’s what a lot of families are facing today.”

Learn more about supporting MUST Ministries’ efforts here.