Rev. Andy Chambers of Cornelia First Presbyterian recognized a basic but fundamental problem in Habersham County – food insecurity – so he sought to fill that need.
At the beginning of the school year, he started by forming a dialogue with Kevin Weems, the assistant principal of Cornelia Elementary, inquiring about developing a greater relationship. He said he thought it was crucial for his church to build on that relationship and to understand the demographic of his community. He asked what he could do for students, families and members of the community. From there, apartnership took hold.
After communicating with the Northeast Georgia Food Bank through a contact, Chambers’ initial move was to bring food to those who needed it.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s give it a shot,’” Chambers said, stating that his church began paying around $350 a month for 10,000 pounds of food.
By September, Chambers and his teams of volunteers made rounds through Cornelia and
distributed the food, and it soon became evident to Chambers that the issue of food insecurity in his community was far greater than he initially thought.
“We were going out and going into neighborhoods here and Appletree Hotel and people there were desperate,” Chambers said. “One lady [told me], ‘I didn’t know where I was going to get food this week.’”
Chambers then thought to distribute food to the community in a centralized location, and after further coordination with Weems, an effort was launched.
Chambers and his team – composed of his congregation and the faculty at Cornelia Elementary – established a food distribution ministry in the parking lot in front of the school.
Right away, he saw the glaring issue of hunger and food insecurity manifest in the number of those who came the first Saturday there.
“We were done by 10:30 [a.m.],” Chambers said. “We were packing up. We were out of food. We started at 9:30 because the line [of people] was out to the street.”
Chambers described the turnout of more than 20 volunteers who work the food ministry, hauling boxes and unloading food for the community on the first Saturday of each month, as an inspiration and a testament to the compassion of humanity.
“People seem to be hungry to serve,” Chambers said. “For us as a church, we didn’t need the notoriety. That’s really not what I believe about it. We’re there to serve – period.”
Chambers said what matters more so than any recognition or attention brought to his church is the ability to serve and build a relationship with the community.
“Whether we grow membership – that’s not important – it’s feeding hungry mouths and just serving the community,” Chambers said. “That’s really all it’s about.”
The plan for Chambers and his team is to continue quenching the need for food and working toward a resolution for food insecurity in Cornelia.
Those in need can receive food from volunteers on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 9:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month at Cornelia Elementary. Food will be offered to the community this Saturday, Jan. 8, as opposed to the first Saturday of the month, by the church at Cornelia Elementary due to the New Year.
“For me, it’s just been rewarding to see people serve together,” Chambers said of his team of volunteers.