Non-profit giving away 500 gift cards for fresh produce in East Point
Food support programs offering daily help across city during coronavirus pandemic
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A non-profit will help East Point residents in need stock up on fresh produce when it gives away hundreds of $25 gift cards on Friday.
The giveaway from Wholesome Wave Georgia is another piece of an aggressive food support effort that’s developed in East Point in the weeks since the coronavirus pandemic hit. City officials, churches, county senior centers and schools have launched programs to provide meals and groceries to residents.
On Friday, Wholesome Wave Georgia will distribute 500 gift cards for $25 each in produce at Walmart. The giveaway will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at four churches – Chapelhill Church on Washington Road, East Point First Mallalieu United Methodist Church on North Church Street, New Grant Chapel AME Church on Holcomb Avenue and St. Stephen Missionary Baptist on Hogan Road.
“It is immediate relief for families,” said Will Sellers (photo), executive director of Wholesome Wave Georgia. “We want to be focused on folks in need. In this unprecedented time we are in, all of us need more support.”
Wholesome Wave is partnering with the city to distribute the gift cards. City employees will be on hand at the four churches to help with logistics and a brief form that residents need to complete to receive a gift card. The giveaway is open to all East Point residents.
“Wholesome Wave of Georgia has been an amazing partner with East Point,” Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham said a city council meeting on April 20. “We definitely value the partnership and the impact of that partnership.”
Wholesome Wave partnered with Weight Watchers Foundation and the national Wholesome Wave organization for the gift card giveaway. The local organization, based on Cleveland Avenue, works with 63 farmers markets across the state to boost the purchasing power of people enrolled in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). They can use their SNAP benefits card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at those farmers markets – including the weekly one on Wednesday outside East Point City Hall – and receive up to $50 in matching funds.
But as the coronavirus pandemic created a spike in the need for food assistance, Wholesome Wave Georgia changed its game plan to create more ways to directly help families.
“This for us is a little different in working directly with cities to get immediate relief for families right away,” Sellers said.
The non-profit is also seeing a dramatic increase in the number of calls and requests for help in enrolling in the state’s SNAP benefits program. In 2019, Wholesome Wave assisted 150 families with SNAP. In less than four months this year, the organization has already surpassed 150 families, Sellers said.
“We do not like asking for help. None of us do. We’re seeing now because of the severe nature of the global pandemic, folks are finding they need a helping hand,” he said.
Food support programs expand across East Point
The effort is one of several providing food support to East Point residents during the pandemic. The mayor and city council members have rolled up their sleeves to pack boxes of food for distribution, city staffers have delivered food across the city, and churches, non-profits and schools have pitched in, too.
“There is food available every day in the city at different locations,” Holiday said.
The city publishes a weekly schedule for food support on its Facebook page.
Read more coverage of how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting East Point.