EAST DUBLIN, Ga. — It's almost go-time for a new food bank coming to East Dublin on US 29 South.
On Sunday, The Christian Recovery Centers Food Bank had their grand opening ceremony, and they begin serving the community for the first time on Tuesday.
It was an emotional Sunday service at Battleground Church, which is in the same building where Kenny Shattles attends.
"Life's about controlling your laughs and your cries. Make sure you laugh more than you cry," Shattles said.
He came to the church, and the recovery group, Christian Recovery Centers, about three months ago. The recovery center is also run out of the church building, where the new food bank will be.
"Place to be if you want to help out the community. Food bank I think is a big deal, and it's going to help everybody," Shattles said.
It's going to help the men at the recovery center stay out of trouble, by staying busy serving others as food bank volunteers. And it's going to tackle the food insecurity problem throughout the county at the same time. According to Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, who's sponsoring the new project, about 17.8% of the county is food insecure. That's about 6,400 people.
"I just want everybody who comes to have a box. And if we have 200 people, I hope we have enough food to help 200 people," Shattles said.
For now, the food bank volunteers plan to serve about 150 families a month.
Their pantry's stocked, and boxes are ready to be filled thanks to sponsors like the Kangeters who've been with the church for about three years.
"It doesn't take much to help. It doesn't' take much at all. You can. One can of food could be like, could be like a whole bunch of groceries to some people," Sharon Kangeter said.
She knows that personally. When she was just 14-months-old, her dad died, leaving her mom to raise three kids alone. One day, help came from an unexpected place.
"A group of young people, they had come over from the Methodist church. And they had brought some, a food box," Kangeter said.
That box was more than a blessing to her family. It gave them hope, at a time when they didn't have much.
"I remember seeing a apple and a orange. Cause that was something we didn't get much of. And it was just, you know it was just a really blessing, because I know that you know, they knew that we, we needed stuff," Kangeter said.
She said she'll never forget how much that act of kindness brought her mom to tears. And now, she's excited to help Battleground Church, and Christian Recovery Centers pass that kindness forward.
The food bank's first day of service is Tuesday, starting at 9:00 a.m. Families must sign up in advance through Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.
The food bank is still looking for more volunteers to help them with distributing boxes of food. They're also looking for more donations and sponsorships to help grow their reach. You can reach out by email at christianrecoverygrant@gmail.com or phone at 912-419-1500.
They also have a GoFundMe page at this link.