---
title: HR 461. Food Bank of Northeast Georgia; mission of connecting neighbors with nourishing food, its expansion to better serve communities across Northeast Georgia & ongoing contributions to economic stability, workforce development & community well-being; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr461
cite_as: HR 461, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr461
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr461.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr461/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71045
date: 2025-02-28
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr461.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 461
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-28
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Houston Gaines
  - Marcus Wiedower
  - Trey Rhodes
  - Spencer Frye
  - Holt Persinger
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR461/2025
upstream_id: 1989283
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - food insecurity
  - food banks
  - Northeast Georgia
  - community resolutions
---

# HR 461. Food Bank of Northeast Georgia; mission of connecting neighbors with nourishing food, its expansion to better serve communities across Northeast Georgia & ongoing contributions to economic stability, workforce development & community well-being; commend

## Text

House Resolution 461
By: Representatives Gaines of the 120th, Wiedower of the 121st, Rhodes of the 124th, Frye of
the 122nd, and Persinger of the 119th
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for its mission of connecting neighbors with
nourishing food, its expansion to better serve communities across Northeast Georgia, and its
ongoing contributions to economic stability, workforce development, and community
well-being; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, a thriving workforce, strong families, and a resilient economy all rely on access
to nutritious food, ensuring that Georgians can learn, work, and contribute to their
communities without the burden of food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia has been a beacon of hope and provision
for families across the region, distributing over 15.5 million pounds in 2024 across its
15-county service area, reinforcing the importance of community-based solutions to food
insecurity; and
WHEREAS, through deep-rooted partnerships with Georgia's farmers, businesses,
faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and local leaders, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia
transforms every dollar into real impact, leveraging resources to serve those in need with
compassion, dignity, and efficacy; and
WHEREAS, the recent expansion of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, including the
construction of a state-of-the-art 65,000-square-foot facility in Athens, marks a significant
step toward ensuring greater food distribution capacity, reduction of food waste, and the
enhancement of services to families across Northeast Georgia; and
WHEREAS, food insecurity impacts working families, seniors on fixed incomes, children
who rely on school meal programs, and veterans who have bravely served our nation,
underscoring the essential nature of food and the role it plays in both our humanity and
ability to reach our individual and collective potential; and
WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia's commitment to strengthening local food
systems also benefits Georgia's agricultural sector by sourcing fresh, locally grown produce
and building farm-to-table initiatives that keep food local, sustainable, and accessible; and
WHEREAS, ensuring Northeast Georgia families have access to a variety of food not only
improves educational outcomes for children but also strengthens the workforce and increases
economic independence, reinforcing the vital role of food security in our communities and
the immeasurable impact of the family table; and
WHEREAS, public-private investments in food security reflect Georgia's values of
responsible government, strong families, and economic prosperity, as every dollar invested
in hunger relief leverages taxpayer dollars into the Georgia economy while expanding
grocery budgets when necessary.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body commend the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for its mission of
connecting neighbors with nourishing food, its expansion to better serve families, and its
continued commitment to fighting food insecurity through innovative, community-driven
solutions.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize the vital role food
security plays in ensuring Georgia remains a place where every family has the opportunity
to thrive and express their support for efforts that uphold the well-being of Georgia's
families, veterans, seniors, and children.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution commends the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for its work distributing food across a 15 county region and for expanding with a new Athens facility.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. It does not change any Georgia law. Instead it recognizes the organization's work distributing over 15.5 million pounds of food in 2024 across a 15 county service area in Northeast Georgia, its partnerships with farmers, businesses, faith based groups, and nonprofits, and its recent expansion including a new 65,000 square foot facility in Athens.
The resolution formally commends the food bank for connecting neighbors with food and fighting food insecurity, and recognizes the role food security plays for families, veterans, seniors, and children in Georgia. It directs the Clerk of the House to send a copy of the resolution to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia as a keepsake.

### What it does

- Formally commends the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for its mission of connecting neighbors with food and fighting food insecurity.
- Recognizes the organization's 2024 distribution of over 15.5 million pounds of food across its 15 county service area.
- Acknowledges the food bank's expansion, including a new 65,000 square foot facility in Athens, as increasing distribution capacity.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic statement of praise.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and its staff and partners, including local farmers, businesses, faith based organizations, and nonprofits. It also references the families, veterans, seniors, and children in Northeast Georgia who rely on the food bank's services.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or funding effect, but it gives official state recognition to a regional food bank's work and expansion, which can raise public awareness of food insecurity and support community based efforts to address hunger in Northeast Georgia.

### Key provisions

- The preamble (whereas clauses) describes the food bank's 2024 distribution of over 15.5 million pounds of food and its 15 county service area.
- The preamble notes the food bank's expansion, including a new 65,000 square foot facility in Athens, aimed at increasing distribution capacity and reducing food waste.
- The first resolved clause commends the food bank for its mission, expansion, and continued fight against food insecurity.
- The second resolved clause recognizes the role of food security for Georgia's families, veterans, seniors, and children.
- The final resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to provide a copy of the resolution to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-28)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Houston Gaines, Marcus Wiedower, Trey Rhodes, Spencer Frye, Holt Persinger
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71045

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr461.md?full=1