Food Programs
The Pantry
The Intown Food Pantry is located in the McIver Building on the Druid Hills Presbyterian Church Campus at 1026 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306.
Pantry distribution currently occurs Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10AM-12PM. All individuals can receive groceries twice a week. Donations can be delivered to McIver Hall on Fridays from 9AM-12PM.
Our client-choice Food Pantry is open to anyone who is experiencing food insecurity. We do not discriminate based on age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, housing status, or religion. We do not require any documentation.
We serve our guests on a first come first served basis. Currently we serve outdoors. Guests line up with 6ft of distance between each person, check in with a volunteer at the distribution table, and then receive their groceries.
We do not require ID, but if there are a number of people in the family, some documentation (such as a lease agreement) is appreciated. Non-related and non-partnered adults living in the same household must each register as individuals and pick up their own food.
MARTA Bus Routes 2, 102, and 816 stop within two blocks of the pantry. Routes 2 and 102 connect to the North Avenue Red/Gold Line MARTA station in Midtown. Route 816 connects to the 5 Points MARTA station downtown.
Program Goals
Stronger Community
Seniors and low-income neighbors are more likely to be socially isolated than the general population, which can trigger or exacerbate physical and mental health issues. According to the National Academy of Sciences, social isolation is a significant risk factor for serious health issues like heart disease and depression. Among seniors, those who are socially isolated were 26% more likely to die than their peers. Our Food Programs and Pantry combat social isolation by bringing neighbors together. We believe everyone involved in our Food Programs--from pantry guests to volunteers to delivery drivers--has gifts to offer and that gathering in community regularly leads to fuller, healthier lives. Our staff works hard to build a strong sense of community at our Food Pantry. The Pantry is an important gathering place for our pantry guests and volunteers alike, many of whom have been regularly visiting us or volunteering for years.
Food Security
Poverty rates have more than doubled in metro Atlanta in the past decade, and more than 1 in 10 seniors in Georgia lives in poverty. Many of our Food Program guests are people with disabilities, seniors living on fixed-incomes, or neighbors experiencing homelessness. Rising prices hit these communities particularly hard, and federal and state hunger programs are often not sufficient to address their food needs. For example, the average SNAP (food stamp) benefit is only $20 per month. Our Food Pantry guests are able to pick up groceries twice per week, providing meaningful and consistent access for those experiencing food insecurity. Thanks to our Food Pantry, our guests are able to spend less of their limited income on food and more on other life necessities like rent, utilities, medicine, and transportation.
Access to Fresh Foods
According to the Food Research and Action Center, food insecure people are at greater risk for food-related illnesses like diabetes and obesity. This is due to in large part to lack of access to healthy food, which is either too expensive or of lower-quality for poor people. In the past year, Intown has increased our focus on providing fresh produce and has successfully launched partnerships with several local organizations to bring fresh produce to the Food Pantry. We are working with farmers markets, grocery stores, and other local nonprofits to ensure that we have a wide variety of fresh produce available for guests at every Food Pantry distribution. Every Tuesday and Saturday our volunteers set up and staff a "Farmers Market Table" outside the pantry where guests can supplement the shelf-stable groceries we provide with fresh bread, vegetables, fruits, and more. We also provide a selection of fresh and frozen meats, eggs, and dairy at most pantry distribution days.
Volunteer or Donate
Please sign up here if you are interested in volunteering on a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday in the upcoming weeks.
Hunger impacts people in all walks of life, and the risks of COVID-19 have made it more difficult for some to physically get to the pantry safely. Therefore, we offer deliveries to ensure food needs are met safely for at risk guests and for those with transportation barriers.
Please sign up to deliver groceries below.
The Food Pantry sources food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and donations from supporting organizations, such as local churches and synagogues, organizational food drives, Concrete Jungle, SPARK Elementary School and Paideia School.Â