Food for Thought: Program serves 34,105 summer meals

By Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI

TIFTON — The Tiftarea YMCA’s Food for Thought program, in partnership with the Tift County Board of Education, was able to serve approximately 34,105 meals this summer and an appreciation dinner Thursday night at Tift County High School showed the impact it made on the children who were served and the volunteers, organizations and churches who helped to make this possible.

Jimmy Moore, CEO of the Tiftarea Y, told guests that the Food for Thought program “does us much good as it does the kids, but of course, the focus is the kids.” He explained that Tifton is No. 4 in the state in elementary school poverty, and the role of the Y is to take social responsibility.

“Social responsibility is the No. 1 mission for the Y,” Moore said. “This is what the Y is. We have a social responsibility and it’s our place to fill it.”

The Food for Thought program has been in existence for one year and the Y recently received a grant from Walmart — the Walmart Foundation Innovation Award — which allowed for them to provide more nutritious meals through the program. The Tiftarea Y was one of 25 out of 970 YMCAs across the nation to receive this award.

“We figured, how were we going to make a difference during the summer,” Moore said. “We prayed and decided to look into the Food for Thought program. Then we looked into the Walmart grant and got it. God had a hand in it.”

Moore said many organizations, volunteers and churches came out and helped with the summer program. He stated, “It’s about helping Tift County and giving back. We can’t sit back and let the world go by and do nothing. We have to make a difference.”

The Food for Thought program has several local sites — Annie Belle Clark Primary School, Eighth Street Middle School, G.O. Bailey Primary School, Brookfield Mews Apartments, Puckett Park, The Neighborhood Service Center, Beulah Hill Baptist Church, Temple Love Ministry, Omega Baptist Church, Mount Olive Baptist Church in Ty Ty and their most recent addition, Peterson Apartments.

Peterson Apartments is served by volunteers from First United Methodist Church, Brookfield Mews by First Baptist Church, and Puckett Park by Journey Church and Fairhaven Baptist church. Volunteers from Harvest Studios, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Behavioral Health, Department of Family and Children Services, University of Georgia’s Strong African American Families Program, Tift County Health Department, Tift Regional Medical Center, Tifton-Tift County Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, Tifton Police Department, literacy volunteers, Plight Inc., Brother Charlie Rescue Center, Salvation Army and McDonald’s have all helped make a difference.

Before the Food for Thought program came about, there was the Summer Feeding program. Nutrition Director Licia Nicholson was over it and advised that she had tried to expand the program in the past.

“I knew that it could be more, but I didn’t know how to get the involvement,” Nicholson said. “I found out about the churches wanting to help and the Y also contacted me. It worked out perfectly and it will work out more perfectly next year.”

Moore said they’re in good shape to receive the Walmart grant next year and with being able to prepare earlier, they can feed more children and touch more lives.

“It was a phenomenon thing that for the first time ever, we were able to feed in July,” Nicholson said. “I’m very grateful that the community worked together.”

Moore said the Y is looking into doing more things, such as offering mentoring programs, a glee program, a higher learning after school program and English as a secondary language in order to keep their hands on the children after the summer feeding program has come to an end. Also, the Y is preparing for a shoe drive in the winter.

“We want this to be a diving board,” Moore stated. “There are so many opportunities and ways to serve. We need the community support and help.”

Stacey McDaniel, the Y’s program director, announced that over 70 organizations came together to make the Food for Thought program possible.

“I’m proud to be a part of this community,” McDaniel said. “You made such a difference and it took only 30 minutes of your time. You brought hope to these children and I’m proud of the work you have done to make this all happen. Thank you.”

Commissioner Donnie Hester was at the dinner and he told guests that he appreciates the Y for what they are doing. He stated, “I see some strength and unity coming together.”

Priscilla Bell, the Y’s program coordinator, has become the Y’s most valuable asset, Moore advised. Guests at the dinner advised that Bell would use a blow horn to ride around in the neighborhoods letting children know to come get a free, hot meal. Bell said the greatest blessing has been the ability to provide for the children.

“Thank God for bringing this to these kids,” she stated. “The Y has done a terrific job for all kids, and Jimmy has done a lot with scholarships and incentives, not just with food. Stacey is fantastic in my eyes. She makes things happen every day. I feel blessed to be a part of this and I don’t want to let my kids go. I pray for the children who don’t have anything and they need our help and support.”

Bell said the Food for Thought program is a way to say, ‘keep going,’ and that the children can be whatever they want to be in this world by providing them with living skills as well.

As a slideshow flashed with numerous photos of children from the summer program, a few guests stood up and gave an emotional testimony of their experiences with the program, which brought tears to some eyes and smiles across some faces. Some of these testimonies included people from the Housing Authority, Journey Church and other organizations.

As McDaniel put it, when people come together, miracles can happen.

“This community needs us and our kids need us,” Moore stated.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

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