Need is greater than ever for volunteers at Golden Harvest
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Golden Harvest’s brand-new produce rescue center is adding millions of pounds of food to our area, to feed people in need.
The center opened on Aug. 15, and is already making a difference when it comes to helping the 25 counties and more than 300 relief programs across Georgia and South Carolina.
Golden Harvest is stepping up how they give back, but they say the need for volunteers is still greater than ever.
Golden Harvest has expanded their space ...
“Just really increasing efficiency and our ability to bring more of the community alongside us in the mission,” Amy Breitmann, president and CEO of Golden Harvest said.
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... to expand their reach.
“It’s not just our 60 employees that feed the hungry in 25 counties, we’ve got 350 partners across the service area,” she said.
This past week, the center also served as a space for other organizations.
“We’ve utilized it, helping the American Red Cross as they’ve had relief efforts for Hurricane Debby,” Breitmann said.
But despite all of this, they say the need is greater than it has been in years.
“One in four children right now that are struggling with food insecurity in our service area, and one in seven of our neighbors,” she said. “The numbers are higher than the highest in 15 years.”
Local Red Cross volunteers provide Debby aid in Savannah
It’s been a little more than two weeks since Tropical Storm Debby hit Georgia and the Carolinas. Now, Augusta volunteers are heading south as well to help with recovery efforts.
Which is why they need help from the community.
“A lot of families are having to choose between groceries and rent, or you can’t pay half of your mortgage, you have to pay the whole thing,” Breitmann said. “They end up cutting their grocery budget.”
Golden Harvest’s annual Spooky To Be Hungry drive starts Oct. 1.
“Last year, we raised enough to provide a million meals for our community,” she said.
They say they need help to provide even more this year.
Which is why they are calling on volunteers to step up and become a captain to help lead the drive.
“We just make a huge splash during that month, and we’re really calling on community captains, and neighborhood captains to step forward,” Breitmann said.
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