Did you know that Georgia has the ninth highest overall poverty rate in the nation, and ranks 15th in the nation for food insecurity? Families struggling in poverty all over the state are sometimes faced with the very difficult problem of not knowing what will be put on the dinner table. In Newton County, Georgia, Action Ministries is dedicated to raising money and working with local farms and partners to provide nutritious meals to families and hungry children in our community.
Later this month, Action Ministries will be kicking off their second annual Inaugural Farm-to-Table Dinner on October 22nd at Legion Field in historic Covington, Georgia. Proceeds from this annual event will go towards providing SuperPacks to the 16 participating schools in Newton County. Last year’s event sold out completely, so this year, the organization has opened the event up to 30 additional ticket holders. They are anticipating 200 guests in total to dine this year.
Sponsors at the 2017 Farm-to-Table Dinner include Barbara Morgan and Bob Furnad, Morgan Plaza, Scott Hubbard State Farm Agency, Cathy Dobbs with Coldwell Banker, Yvonne & Raoul Kaoua, MG Law, Right at Home In Home Care and Assistance, the Church of the Good Shepherd, The Oaks Golf Course, Sam & Loucy Hay, Newton Federal Bank, Jonathan & Sallie Paschal, The Covington Garden Club, United Bank, Piedmont Newton, and Covington’s brand new Three Ring Studios.
Centerpieces are Created and Donated by the Satsuski & Covington Garden Clubs
The main event partner is Bon Appetit (the catering company out of Oxford College), which is the same as last year. Executive Chef Duke Walsh will be creatively designing and preparing the menu again for guests in attendance.
The Farm-to-Table event last year was a great success for local children in need. Last year’s Inaugural Dinner raised over $7800, which equates to 1900 SuperPacks, and a staggering 11,400 meals in total for students in the county! SuperPacks are special meals for local children who face hunger over the weekend, including two breakfasts, four protein-rich entrees, and two fruits or vegetables. The products provided in these packs are all canned, dried, or non-perishable. Action ministries works with administrators at each school facility to help reach the children who need these specially curated offerings.
“We work with teachers, counselors, and bus drivers who have identified that students are coming to school hungry on Mondays. The students remain anonymous, but are sent home with a permission slip for parent consent. There are currently 300 students who receive packs each week from the program, confidentially,” said Tamara Richardson, Regional Director of the Piedmont Regional Office for Action Ministries. Richardson also told us that the program serves students 40 weeks out of the school year, which includes providing double SuperPacks before seasonal breaks from classes.
Action Ministries has served our local community since May of 2015, but the nonprofit organization has a longstanding history in Georgia with 54 years of service! The ministry was first founded in Atlanta by the Mission Board of United Methodist Church. “We have deep roots in the Methodist church, but we are a non-denominational organization, and there's no religious participation required. But lots of our donors and partners come from the faith-based community,” Richardson also shared with us.
If you are a Newton County local, or a tourist visiting the area and would like to attend this event to help raise money for these student SuperPacks, please visit www.actionministries.net to purchase a ticket before they sell out! We hope to see you on Sunday, October 22nd at Legion Field.
