- Ciara and Russell Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation donated $500,000 to Atlanta hunger relief programs.
- The funds will help the Atlanta Community Food Bank provide more than 1 million additional meals this holiday season.
- Donation supports the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Southwest ATL Cares; event held Dec. 23 at Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church.
H2: Pop star and NFL star team up to fight hunger in Atlanta
Atlanta-raised singer Ciara and her husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, announced a $500,000 donation Tuesday to help feed families across the city. The couple’s nonprofit, the Why Not You Foundation, gave the gift to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Southwest ATL Cares during a ceremony at Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church in Venetian Hills on Dec. 23, 2025.
H3: Impact — more than 1 million meals
The donation will allow the Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide more than 1 million additional meals this holiday season, executives said. Food bank leaders told attendees the city is seeing a surge in demand for food assistance, driven by ongoing economic pressure and recent service disruptions that have strained local resources.
“No child deserves to go to bed hungry,” Ciara said at the event as she helped distribute food to families. Local officials, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, attended the ceremony as the couple unveiled the grant to bolster holiday meal distribution.
H3: How the funds will be used
The gift will be split between the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the community-based Southwest ATL Cares program. Food bank officials say the cash will support direct meal distribution, expanded pantry operations and targeted neighborhood outreach where need is highest. The funding aims to shore up emergency supplies and increase access for working families facing tight budgets.
H4: Why the donation matters now
Leaders at the food bank noted that demand for services has spiked as families cope with higher costs this season. The extra resources will help food programs scale up distribution quickly, allowing partner pantries and mobile markets to serve more households in the coming weeks.
H3: The Why Not You Foundation and community partnerships
The Why Not You Foundation, founded by Ciara and Russell Wilson, focuses on empowering children and families through education and basic needs. The foundation’s gift continues a pattern of celebrity-backed philanthropy in Atlanta, where local and national partners work with nonprofits to meet rising holiday demand.
H3: More information and ways to help
Those who want to learn more about the Why Not You Foundation can visit whynotyoufdn.org. The Atlanta Community Food Bank accepts donations and volunteers; details are available at atlantacfb.org. Social share links related to the announcement: https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/12/ciara-and-russell-wilson-help-feed-atlanta-families-with-500k-donation/ and https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/12/ciara-and-russell-wilson-help-feed-atlanta-families-with-500k-donation/&text=Ciara%20and%20Russell%20Wilson%20help%20feed%20Atlanta%20families%20with%20%24500K%20donation
The donation offers an immediate boost to holiday food relief efforts while highlighting the ongoing need for sustained support for food banks and local programs serving Atlanta families.
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