Atlanta

Local father and son recruit chef team to tackle Atlanta food insecurity

ATLANTA — 16-year-old Leo Flemming says it’s something he simply could not ignore. “I think it always bothered me that so many people would go home without something to eat,” Leo said.

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The rising high school junior took action. He and his father Sam formed a nonprofit called Flavor Forward. Its aim is to feed as many people in Atlanta as they can. “We’re super proud of Leo. He worked really hard and is really dedicated to the cause,” Sam said.

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Donations to Flavor Forward are used to buy the ingredients and containers. A team of chefs, like Executive Chef Max Hines at The Lawrence in Midtown give their time and their skills to cook. The meals are then distributed to those in need around the city, through groups like Second Helpings Atlanta and Free99Fridge. Several hundred have been sent out over the last few months.

On Thursday alone, more than 3,200 meals — courtesy of Atlanta based Sealed Meals — were given to the effort. “When you see young people in our community take that step and initiate these relationships, it was something that hit me as a father very deeply. It instantly made me want to participate,” Sealed Meals’ Jason McClure said.

Leo plans to bring even more chefs, restaurants and student volunteers on board to fight hunger across the city. “It’s just really interesting how we got this network of people to join this common cause,” Leo said. Donations to Flavor Forward can be sent here, here, or here.

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