Atlanta -based Hosea Helps, which has been feeding metro residents for decades, will hold a drive-thru turkey and food distribution on Saturday at the Georgia International Convention Center.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the center, which is located at 2000 Convention Center Concourse in College Park. Registration is strongly suggested but CEO Elisabeth Omilami said drive-ups are accepted.
Boxes will also include macaroni and cheese, dressing, cranberry sauce and green beans. They will be available while supplies last.
Then, for the Thankgiving holiday, volunteers and staffers will deliver hot meals on Nov. 23 to residents at three senior citizens high rises and at various locations to feed people who are homeless..
Omilami said both events are happening at a time that her nonprofit is seeing increased need.
“Donations are down about 30 % but the request for services has doubled,” she said. Rising inflation and a financial squeeze for some metro Atlanta due to the pandemic has contributed to requests for services.
She said there is a particular need this year for turkeys.
At the same time, individual donations, which account for the bulk of financial contributions, have fallen off, Omilami said.
“The pool is down,” said Omilami. ”... Some were senior citizens who may have aged out and some are people who are struggling financially, so they made a decision.”
Hosea Helps, whose forerunner began in Wheat Street Baptist Church in 1970 and was led by Omilami’s father, the Rev. Hosea Williams. It was previously called Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless.
The nonprofit, which provides other social services for those in need, also holds major events during Christmas and the King holiday.
The hot meals were previously served at a set location. The nonprofit had to pivot to drive-thru for food boxes because of COVID-19, she said.
And it’s not just food that’s in short supply, It’s also volunteers. To volunteer or donate go to the Hosea Helps website at 4Hosea.org
About the Author
