Middle Georgia agencies team up to feed families in massive food distribution

Five of Middle Georgia’s community and service agencies teamed up Saturday to distribute food to about 700 people at the Buck Melton Community Center in Macon.

“It’s good to give back to the community,” said Carla Flag, 58, of Macon, who received some of the food. “It’s good to help people in daily life because people need food.”

Jeff Battcher helped organize the effort by Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia, Macon-Bibb Housing Authority, United Way of Central Georgia’s Volunteer United and Central Georgia CARES. Battcher sits on the board of directors of all the groups.

“All of them are doing really good work, but everybody’s kind of in their swim lane,” Battcher said. “And my point is, while everybody is in the swim lane doing a good job ... we’ve got people in our pool that are drowning. Let’s work together.

“Instead of giving out 50 food packs here and 50 food packs there, why don’t we come together as five big organizations and do a massive food distribution? So that’s what this is about,” he said.

The numbers, compiled by Battcher, help tell why the distribution was needed and how it helped:

▪ The Georgia poverty rate is about 15 percent. Macon’s poverty rate is about 28 percent.

▪ About 82 percent of the students in the 27 school districts serviced by the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank receive free or reduced lunch.

▪ 700 boxes of nonperishable food weighing 32 pounds were given away.

▪ 700 packages of frozen food that included meat and fruit were distributed.

▪ About 100 bags of dog and cat food plus some 200 cans of dog and cat food were provided.

▪ More than 30 volunteers were on hand to distribute food.

This story was originally published March 23, 2019 at 12:15 PM.