This is the last article in a special series for The Covington News. The purpose of this series is to inspire and empower people to take concrete steps towards community engagement, specifically to end the hunger crisis. This month we look at the impact of donating.
As we hurtle towards Christmas and the New Year, many of us are wondering where 2025 went. It seems like just yesterday it was May. Time has a funny way of doing that - it moves so slowly and yet so quickly, all the while remaining constant.
It was not too long ago that we were in the middle of the longest government shutdown in American history. And now it is but a vague memory, replaced by the next big headline, the next crisis, or the personal stress of the holidays. However, for many, the impact of that shutdown is like time - it is remaining constant.
The impact of the recent shutdown included suspending funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Studies have shown that one in 10 Americans will experience food insecurity - meaning not having enough to eat and not knowing where your next meal will come from. This disproportionately affects children, adults with disabilities, older adults on a fixed income, and families of color.
When food assistance stopped, more people became food insecure. This affected hundreds of our neighbors here in Newton County. The Giving Hands Food Pantry saw an increase of 30% the first week and near 50% the following weeks.
Here’s the thing - it hasn’t gone back down.
The repercussions of this interruption of benefits will be felt for months, if not longer. Food insecurity for many is like time - it seems short, feels long, but is constant. The insecurity leads to uncertainty which is compounded by other things like employment, health, and family. Though a family may have started to receive full benefits a mere week after the government opened back up, it does not mean that family was able to go back to their normal routine. Like anything else, when one area is disrupted, there is a ripple effect in so many other areas.
With that in mind, it is important to highlight our community’s response. Through this local news outlet, our Chamber of Commerce, social media, and our community partners, the word spread about the need. And the call was answered.
During the months of November and December, Newton County residents and companies showed their true colors. Donations were taken almost daily at the Giving Hands Food Pantry. Checks were mailed. Carloads of food were brought. Volunteers came.
The shutdown highlighted food insecurity in our nation and our community, demonstrating both its tenuous nature as well as its huge impact. But it also highlighted our community’s generosity and the ability to come together to help.
When we think about donating, we often think about money. And yes, money is good. As an affiliate of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Giving Hands Food Pantry can turn $1 into three meals or feed a family of four for a week with less than $30. For most of us, we could easily set aside a dollar a day. But what if we asked our spouse to do the same. Or our best friend. Or our kids. What if we asked our employer if they would take that dollar out of our paycheck and match it? Money, like time, can seem insignificant. But put together, it is monumentally impactful.
But so are donations of the physical (shelf-stable) kind. When you personally buy food for someone else, you are, dare I say, personally feeding them. It’s like inviting a neighbor in need over for dinner at your house. And this is an invitation that can be done by everyone, anyone. It can be done for special occasions (consider asking friends to make a donation for your next birthday) or on your regular trips to the grocery store (think of all those BOGO deals). You could organize your company’s next service project as a food drive or decide to donate on your own.
During the recent crisis, a local resident, Faith Kae, contacted the Giving Hands Food Pantry about making a donation of food. “I decided to donate because it was laid on my heart to do so. Knowing there would be families without food due to the government shutdown really bothered me… God has blessed me tremendously, I believe, to allow me to bless others so that’s what I did.”
Food insecurity is not going away. Let us continue, as we move out of 2025 and into 2026, to support our neighbors that are struggling to meet basic needs. Consider all the ways you could answer the call and bless your neighbors: Is there a way you can help raise awareness of this need in our community? Could you volunteer at the food pantry on a weekly or a monthly basis? Could you host a can drive or peanut-butter-and-jelly collection at your office or church? Does your employer provide a matching gift for charitable donations?
Let us learn a lesson from the shutdown. Let us learn that we can make a difference in the lives of our friends, family and neighbors; that we are all a powerful and important part of this community; and that a little care goes a long way.
We, in Newton County, are an example of how one person, one organization can really “be the change.”
The Giving Hands Food Pantry would like to acknowledge and give a special thanks to the organizations that donated during this time of extreme need: Alcovy Family Dentistry (Dr. Travis Hampton); Beaver Manufacturing; Capstone Energy Group; Covington First United Methodist Church – Women in Faith; East Atlanta Indian Motorcycle (pictured); Eastside High School - FBLA (pictured); Elks Club Lodge #1806 – Covington (pictured); Novolex (formerly Pactiv Evergreen) (pictured); Physiotherapy Associates of Covington; Salem United Methodist Church (pictured); Sergeant Newton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (pictured); State of Georgia Department of Community Supervision; and Vampire Stalkers.
Hosanna Fletcher believes in the power of community and has worked in nonprofits, government, and for-profits serving the community for the last 20 years. She is a faculty member at Georgia State University and works with the Giving Hands Food Pantry on Community Outreach. To reach Hosanna about volunteering or donating, please email community@covingtonfirst.org.
