Golden Harvest gives out $300K in grants to groups that fight hunger
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Golden Harvest Food Bank on Wednesday gave out $300,000 in grants to organizations that are all on a mission of feeding people in the region.
The Food Forever Fund grants range from $700 to $40,000 and went to 20 organizations.
Golden Harvest Food Bank works to create a safety net to meet the needs of those who struggle with hunger across the area. Golden Harvest works to increase access to nutritious food and foster long-term stability for those who struggle.
From food donations to grant money, multiple nonprofit organizations depend on the food bank to feed their own communities.
After receiving thousands of dollars in grant money, some of these organizations say it helps make their mission a reality.
“When you have a vision of feeding or doing whatever, you need someone to be able to back you with that. If you don’t have the resources yourself, then you look out for other people to help you with those resources,” said Hancock County Helping Hands Executive Director, Gloria Simmons.
The grant program shows how local organizations are sticking together for one purpose: feeding the community.
Established in 2002, the Food Forever Fund endowment operates as an independent 501(c)(3) entity with the purpose of ing Golden Harvest and its mission.
They’re providing resources to communities in need, especially those in rural counties.
It does so through the generosity of donor investments, including donations, legacy gifts and bequests.
It’s what Golden Harvest’s founder, Michael Firmin, says the fund is all about.
“In the rural areas, the resources are few and far between. So, this is a way to jumpstart the dreams that people in rural areas also have to help their people in need,” he said.
The competitive grant process, which began in December 2023, was open to all Golden Harvest Food Bank partners and agencies.
Glasscock County recipients, Family Connection and Communities In Schools of Glascock County, Inc. shared what they’ll do with the funds.
“The main thing is for our walk-in cooler so that we can have more fruit and produce for our clientele in the community. Even though we may be poor in some resources, we are blessed in many other ways,” said Executive Director, Wanda Davis.
The money is also helping bring food from the volunteer table to people in need in Hancock County.
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“We only have one grocery store in the county and it’s a county of over 9,000 people and most of the people have to travel out of town,” said Simmons.
Recipients include:
- Mount Olive Church of the Nazarene in Johnson County - $40,000
- Clifford Grove Baptist Church in Wilkes County - $40,000
- Family Connections CIS-Glascock in Glascock County - $40,000
- Hancock Helping Hands in Hancock County - $37,073
- Unity Outreach Church in Aiken County - $33,663
- Noah’s Ark MBC in Burke County - $31,378
- Bridges of Hope in Jefferson County - $28,675
- Gateway Church in Barnwell County - $18,000
- Broken Shackle Ranch in Washington County - $17,577
- BackPack Program at Blythe Elementary School in Richmond County - $15,140
- Trinity COG Ministries in Allendale County - $13,860
- Putnam Christian Outreach in Putnam County - $6,700
- DCCM in Richmond County - $6,204.86
- BackPack Program at McBean Elementary School in Richmond County- $6,500
- McDuffie Manna in McDuffie County - $2,850
- Answers Community Church in Columbia County - $2,600
- St Mary’s/St Vincent DePaul Society of Aiken in Aiken County - $2,550
- Elbert Co. UMC Food Ministry in Elbert County - $1,154
- BackPack Program at Chukker Creek Elementary School in Aiken County - $800
- BackPack Program at Screven City Elementary School in Screven County - $731
If you’d like to donate to Golden Harvest, click here.
Also in the news ...
- As part of National Volunteer Week, Augusta University students, faculty and staff assisted at the Golden Harvest Food Bank on Wednesday. Volunteers helped prepare backpack meals for students, senior boxes and meals for seniors.
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