The holidays are all about giving. Here are some agencies that provide help to the needy. Is your group doing something special for others during the holidays? Send an e-mail to tiddens@covnews.com, or post on our Facebook page. You can suggest additions to our list at CovNews.com/helpers.
COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
: 7125 Turner Lake Circle; (770) 784-0037
FAITHWORKS:
7129 Turner Lake Circle; faithworkscovington.org; (770) 784-1884
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE HOMELESS SHELTER:
7133 Turner Lake Road; rainbowcommuniyctr.org; 770-787-8519
GOODWILL OF NORTH GEORGIA:
3173 U.S. Highway 278 N.W.; (770) 788-2298
NEWTON COUNTY MINISTERS UNION:
602 Thelma St., P.O. Box 808, Covington, GA 30015
REPAIRERS OF THE BREACH:
5120 Old Brown Bridge Road S.W.; (770) 787-7250
THE SALVATION ARMY:
5193 Washington St.; (770) 786-2107
WASHINGTON STREET COMMUNITY
CENTER: 4138 School St.; (770) 786-4002
Families in need in Newton County can get a free Thanksgiving feast on Thursday, with some help from you.
The meal will be offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Sharp Learning Center, 3175 Newton Drive. Sponsors are the Newton County Ministers Union and the Community Food Bank. It is open to all.
There are enough turkeys on hand, but there's still a need for volunteers and for food for side dishes and desserts, according to Rosalee Thompson of the food bank and the Rev. Willie James Smith of the ministers union.
They're especially in need of donations of potatoes, at least 200-250 pounds for the meal, along with cans of green beans and corn, especially commercial-size cans. The larger the cans, the better to expedite preparation, according to Thompson.
There's also a need for homemade desserts to complete the feast.
Items may be dropped at the food pantry at 7125 Turner Lake Circle. Call for hours and more information at (770) 784-0037.
Volunteers are needed to help with the meal, beginning on Wednesday at the food pantry, from 1 to 7 p.m. Smith said help is especially needed from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to help prepare and smoke the turkeys.
About 60 turkeys were donated for the feast.
"That's a lot of work when you only have two or three people there," Smith said.
Thursday, volunteers are needed at the Sharp Center, beginning at 7 a.m.
Meals can be delivered to those who are unable to attend the feast at Sharp. Call Smith at (678) 487-5083.
What's leftover will be taken back to the pantry and will be used to feed people for another two weeks. About 800 to 1,000 people will be helped this year, Smith said.
"The food pantry has had a heavy load this year," he said. "When they have a heavy load, we're going to have a heavy load."
The community feast has been staged for about 24 years.
You can drop off supplies and donations at the food pantry until about noon on Wednesday. After that time, donations may be taken to the Sharp Center. Donations are tax deductible.
You can send a check to the Newton County Ministers Union in care of Thanksgiving Dinner, P.O. Box 1101, Covington GA 30015.
