Grace Church Food Bank shows God’s love through giving
KCaulder@CalhounTimes.com
Before the coronavirus hit Calhoun and Gordon County, Grace Church Food Bank fed between 75 to 90 people each week. Since the virus’ arrival, Food Bank Coordinator Margaret Jones said the average number of visitors is closer to 200 people per week.
“We have about 200 people come through every Saturday, which we expected. We knew people would need our assistance during all of this which is why we didn’t close down,” Jones said. “We knew with everyone out of work or dealing with being sick, we had to do everything we could to keep our doors open and the community really helped us with that.”
Jones said community members gifted the food bank with masks and gloves to keep their workers safe, and she said many people started to donate canned food items that could be given out through the bank itself.
“Seeing everyone come together to take care of one another like that is one of the biggest blessings to come out of all this,” she said. “We really do appreciate anyone who helped us or thought of us.”
In addition to the food it hands out to visitors at the food bank itself, Grace Church Food Bank has also delivered more than 70 bags of groceries and 20 boxes of fresh produce to the Housing Authority every Saturday for the last three months. Jones said they hoped delivering the food items would enable seniors to stay indoors while still getting the food they need and want.
Much of the food delivered to the Housing Authority
was donated by farmers from the Downtown Calhoun Farmer’s Market.
“We take those boxes with fruit and vegetables inside down to the Housing Authority and you wouldn’t believe how much it means to them. They love having fresh things like that, so we really appreciate the farmers helping us,” Jones said. “The people there are so grateful to get the boxes because many of them can’t leave their house to come and get them, so, it’s a huge blessing.”
Fresh food items are always on the donation list at Grace Church Food Bank, as are kitchen essentials like flour and oil, but other items they are looking to get in during the next few weeks are geared more toward helping the homeless population. Jones said donating things like can openers and pop-top canned food items, especially canned meats or seafood, would be especially helpful.
“We have a number of homeless people who come through every week. That’s where we can sometimes run into trouble because we give out a lot of canned food and they might not have something like a can opener,” Jones said. “So donations for things like that or for foods they can take that don’t need to be cooked with an oven or stove would be great.”
Jones said they are always looking for the following items: Flour, vegetable or canola oil, canned meats, shelf-stable milk, pasta, rice, low sodium vegetables, peanut butter, applesauce and juice drinks.
Donations are accepted in person at Grace Church every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 to noon. Jones said those interested in donating items or volunteering their time can also contact her directly at 706853-8321.
Grace Church Food Bank is currently open every Saturday
from 9 to noon. It is hosted at Grace Church, located at 401 Peter St. in Calhoun.