ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Human Services this week announced a coordinated effort to end senior hunger in Georgia.

Registration opened Monday for the state’s first-ever Senior Hunger Summit, an event meant to raise awareness of the issue of senior hunger in Georgia and to begin developing a plan to end it. The Summit will address underlying issues that contribute to food insecurity for older Georgians, including socioeconomic status and food access.

“Georgia ranks in the top 10 states in terms of food insecurity for seniors in the country,” said DHS Commissioner Robyn A. Crittenden. “Our goal is to build stronger families for a stronger Georgia, and so we must bring together our brightest minds to address the issue of food insecurity for older Georgians and make sure this is a top 10 list we never see again.”

Food insecurity is a growing problem for seniors across the country. According to the State of Senior Hunger in America 2014 report by the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, the number of seniors experiencing the threat of hunger increased by 47 percent from 2001 to 2014.

The Department seeks to bring together policymakers, advocates and members of the business community at the Summit, scheduled for Sept. 27-28 in Stone Mountain, to kick start discussions that will serve as the foundation for Georgia’s first plan to address senior hunger.

Additionally, September’s Summit activities will culminate in Georgia’s observation of the 2016 World Food Day Celebration—a day dedicated to awareness for international food policy and improving food access and quality for people all over the world.

For more information on the Summit and other issues affecting the aging community, please visit www.dhs.ga.gov.

To register for the Summit, click here.