EAST DUBLIN, Ga. — In Georgia, Feeding America predicts that 1,426,880 people are facing hunger - including one in five children.
On Highway 29, one group is doing something about that problem. Hank Steverson said he came up with the idea about two months ago to start a new food bank in East Dublin.
"Laurens County has got a high poverty rate, per capita," Steverson said.
He decided to tackle that problem, just like he tackled the addiction problem in Laurens County by starting a recovery group for men called Christian Recovery Centers.
"It's the calling that God has given me to help others that struggle with issues, drug and alcohol issues," Steverson said.
Soon, the men in Christian Recovery Centers will volunteer at the new food bank, called The Christian Recovery Centers Community Foodbank.
"When someone comes to us wanting help for food, God tells us to feed his children. And so it is, it is a passion of mine. I like to make sure everyone is fed spiritually as well as physically," Steverson said.
He noticed how bad the food insecurity problem was when people would come to his congregation, Battleground Church, for help with food donations.
That's when he felt called to help even more people in the county.
"Our target is to reach about 100 families a month, hopefully give them 15, 20, 25 pounds of food each," he said.
He hopes to reach that goal with help from volunteers, like Kenny Maddox. For Maddox, the food insecurity problem is personal.
"My mom did the best that she could, she worked full time, she ended up getting her nursing degree. But she was a single mother with two kids, and the struggle was there," Maddox said.
Now he's involved in solving a problem that he had himself growing up.
"I think a lot of the times there's this misconception that you have to be homeless or poor in order to experience food insecurities. And that's not the truth at all," Maddox said.
He said serving others is a way to serve God, and he's hoping other churches and organizations join them in their mission.
"In the Bible it does say that we're supposed to help the widows and children. And we see a lot of hungry mothers, and a lot of hungry children," Maddox said.
The food bank opens on Sep. 24, with a ribbon cutting on Sep. 22.
They've partnered with Middle Georgia Community Food Bank to supply their food.
They're looking for more volunteers and donations to help them get off the ground.
You can find them on Facebook at this link, email them at christianrecoverygrant@gmail.com or give them a call at 912-419-1500.