DeKalb County committee backs substitute to insource monthly food distributions through Q1 2026
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Summary
The DeKalb County Operations Committee approved a substitute to bring monthly food distributions in-house and asked the full Board to consider a $1.2 million request to cover distributions through Q1 2026; staff cited recent investments, 6,000-box distributions and a need to plan for SNAP gaps.
The DeKalb County Operations Committee on Thursday approved a substitute recommendation to the Board of Commissioners that would shift planned food-distribution work in-house and fund monthly distributions through the first quarter of 2026.
Commissioner Patrick moved the substitute and the committee voted in favor. County staff said the substitute will ask the Board to authorize $1,200,000 to underwrite distributions through Q1 2026, and that staff estimate each distribution costs roughly $400,000.
Martha Rovello, identified in the meeting materials as the county’s chief intergovernmental-affairs officer, told commissioners the county has invested $800,000 in recent months and will distribute 6,000 boxes at an event this weekend. Rovello said county data show a DeKalb food-insecurity rate of about 13.6 percent, with a higher rate for children, and that Human Services has helped distribute tens of thousands of boxes across the county during recent weeks. She said the substitute would rely on Human Services and vetted community partners to manage monthly distributions rather than immediately awarding the contract to an outside vendor that had been proposed earlier.
COO Williams (staff) told commissioners the substitute is intended to provide a flexible, short-term approach to ensuring continuity of food supplies while Human Services builds a longer-term resilience initiative. Williams said departments will continue vetting partner organizations and that staff will include necessary budget requests in upcoming budget conversations.
Commissioners asked how quickly the substitute would move forward and whether recommended partners are accessible by public transit; staff said partners were vetted by Human Services and asked commissioners to submit any additional partner recommendations before the substitute is taken to the Board.
What’s next: The committee forwarded the substitute for consideration by the full DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, with staff asking the Board to authorize up to $1.2 million to cover distributions through Q1 2026.