Have you heard the phrase, “Hunger knows no season?”
There are individuals in our community who suffer food insecurity year-round, not just during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
And now, that level of food insecurity may increase.
There are an estimated 4 million Georgians, that include 640,000 children, whose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be suspended as of Nov. 1.
According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, 10% of White County’s population received SNAP benefits in 2024. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the county’s population as 28,003, according to the 2020 Decennial Census.
Some of our residents who need our help do not receive government food assistance.
There are single parents who are gainfully employed but still struggle to make ends meet. They continually juggle high rents and expenses like childcare.
There are elderly people on fixed incomes with budgets that don’t stretch far enough to afford the rising cost of groceries, utilities and medications.
Fortunately, many charitable and faith-based organizations in White County are stepping up to help friends and neighbors in need of the most basic necessity – food.
Family Connection recently posted a schedule of local, free food distributions to assist White County residents.
The White County Food Pantry has a distribution from 10 a.m.-noon today and tomorrow, Oct. 30-31, at 1342 GA-254 in Cleveland. Call 706-348-6225.
Mt. Yonah Baptist Church will distribute food at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at 882 Asbestos Road in Cleveland. Call 706-865-5044.
Chattahoochee Baptist Church’s food distribution is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7905 Duncan Bridge Road in Cleveland. Call 706-219-2982.
Meet the Need/His Hands and Feet Ministry will hold a food distribution at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at Highway 115 East in Cleveland. Call 706-219-3842.
Helen First Baptist Church’s “Bread of Life” will begin at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at 53 Edelweiss Strasse in Helen, Call 706-200-1965.
Shoal Creek Baptist Church will hold a food distribution from noon-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at 142 Shoal Creek Church Road in Cleveland. Call 706-865-1518.
White County postal carriers are doing their part. They are holding a Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1. Residents can leave a bag of non-perishable food items for their mail carriers to pick up or can bring food donations to the local post office.
No one in our close-knit community, or across our great state, or in our wealthy nation should go hungry.