Atlanta food banks struggle to fill need ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - The Department of Agriculture recently announced that 49 million Americans are living in households that lack consistent access to food.

It's the highest number on record.

The effects of the recession are still hitting food banks as they prepare for the holidays.

JOHNSON: Our food donations it's being refilled but its going out faster than it's coming in. We're talking about several hundred thousand more people in this area who need some food assistance each month.

That's Atlanta Community Food Bank executive, Rob Johnson.

The organization covers 38 counties and oversees 800 food pantries in Atlanta and north Georgia.

Johnson says with record high unemployment in many areas, the need is great.

He says food drives and volunteering help, but money goes a long way.

JOHNSON: If you give us a dollar, we can probably leverage that for about three times as much food, then if you go and purchase at retail price in your grocery store.

Johnson says federal stimulus money has closed a hefty gap this year in funds, but says individual donations are essential to their efforts.

FOR WABE, I'm Jonathan Shapiro. © Copyright 2012, WABE