Meals By Grace Seeking Donations To Fill Food Pantry Shelves

CUMMING, GA — A local nonprofit dedicated to filling the bellies of families in Forsyth and Dawson counties now is asking for help after the pantry shelves they use to feed families have completely dwindled down to empty.

In 2010, Suellen and Steve Daniels experienced a life-altering event that eliminated their savings, retirement and the ability to earn an income. Suddenly they faced unfamiliar circumstances and worries and began to identify with the hardships and mindset of other low-income families. While volunteering at a service day at their church, they realized that one of the core issues struggling families face is the fear and insecurity brought on by hunger. In response, they created Meals by Grace and rallied a group of concerned neighbors to supply food to children and families who are food insecure.

Today, their formal name is Fill Ministries, but most people still know them by Meals by Grace food support. They currently feed 266 low-income families in North Georgia’s Forsyth and Dawson Counties. Through home delivery, the pantry, mobile pantry and break bags, their volunteers distributed food to 36,615 food-insecure individuals in 2018.

They're hoping to keep that up this year, however Janine Perkins, grants and communications manager for Fill Ministries, said this year the supplies have dried up earlier than usual.

"We depend upon food donations to keep the Pantry fully stocked, but not just donations that the community brings directly to the Meals by Grace Pantry," Perkins said. "Because we are Atlanta Food Bank partners, there is a larger 'trickle down' effect that happens when their supplies are low. When folks go on vacation, the company canned food drives, school food collections and family donations dry up, leading to empty shelves not just here but at the big food banks as well."

Add to that relief efforts after hurricanes or a local crisis where food supplies are dedicated to a particular cause, and the food pantries that are at the end of the supply chain are searching out alternative food sources, usually at a higher cost per pound, she said.

"We do what we can through other sources," Perkins said. "We partner with multiple organizations to reclaim food – and much of that is fresh (but past its prime) or frozen. Our truck is on the road up to six days a week picking up the extras that agencies like Goodr and eHarvest alert us to. But the staple foods, the canned and boxed foods, mostly come from Forsyth resident donations and from Atlanta Food Bank."

Home delivery of hot meals and pantry-stable food is what Meals by Grace is most-known for. The 67 families they serve who qualify for home delivery have been vetted by school social workers. The children in the family have been determined to be both food insecure and without reliable transportation to get to food sources. They also run a twice-weekly food pantry that draws families not on the delivery program. Their Meals by Grace Client-Choice Pantry is especially popular with seniors. The pantry has become a sort of social time for them as well as their source of nutrition, Perkins said.

"Right now, folks are just getting back into the rhythm of school and work, and there is nothing we can even order from Atlanta because they have nothing to give," Perkins said. "It is a long time until the holidays, when the community is most-aware of their community’s need for food. Somehow, we have to figure out how to feed a thousand people every month for the next three months."

Perkins said the group hasn't seen canned meat in months.

"The Pantry has a few green beans, corn and some tomato sauce and that is it," she said. "We need canned chicken and tuna – any kind of canned meat. We need canned beans and fruit, rice, pasta, pasta sauce. Breakfast food is a luxury, but our families love it when we get a big donation of cereal. Many of the items can be easily ordered and delivered to us from our Amazon wishlist. One of our precious teen volunteers created an app that is available through iTunes called 'Impact Atlanta' that allows people to order items from Walmart for us. She is alerted when an order is ready and picks them up herself to deliver them to us."

The group had a similar empty shelf problem last year, but it happened later in the year a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Perkins said.

"One of our pantry volunteers was shocked by how low the supplies were, and she posted her dismay on social media," she said. "Pretty soon the community started asking questions and responded with donations. Then Forsyth County News picked up the story and WSB-TV came out to shoot a video segment. Then the donations of food really started pouring in, and we were staying open extra late just to receive it all. We ended the year with enough food supplies to see us through until March. It was wonderful. We could sure use a similar miracle this year."

Meal by Grace's most-distinctive feature is their aquaponic farm, she said.

"We searched for years for a way to supply fresh food for our program families year-round," Perkins said. "Aquaponics does all that and more. We have an enormous greenhouse capable of holding 11,625 plants. Planting and harvesting in the greenhouse is a unique opportunity that helps our volunteers feel connected to the families in a significant way. The greenhouse is producing enough lettuce and tomatoes now that we can sell the extra to the community. This in turn provides a little financial support for Meals by Grace."

Their mission statement says that Fill Ministries “brings food, hope and transformation to children and families in need, with resources from our community and aquaponic farm.”

"We are a community-led organization, so really, without our volunteers we would not exist," Perkins said. "Over the years, the cause of making sure low-income children eat regularly has resonated with thousands of people who volunteer with Meals by Grace (over 17,000 last year). The program regularly draws 250 volunteers a week who invest their time and resources in food production: from planting and harvesting at FM Aquaponic Farm, to packing a week of food and delivering right to the doorsteps of low-income, food-insecure children and their families."

Volunteer opportunities can be seen on their calendar and below:

• The Meals by Grace community food pantry in Cumming, 432A Canton Road: Participants shop in a grocery store environment through a points system on either Tuesday or Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each week, 12 volunteers assist families with stocking, shopping and loading groceries. In 2018, the pantry alone served 16,909 people and distributed 231K pounds of food.
• Home delivery: Every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., hot meal preparation and food box packing takes place in the kitchen and gym at Midway United Methodist Church in Alpharetta. It takes 200 to 600 volunteers to prepare food for two hours for 67 families (282 people), which they also deliver right to the homes of food-insecure children qualified by their school social worker.

• Break bags: Companies, civic and church groups adopt bag building sessions to help with the extra food needed to fill in the “gap meals” (breakfast, lunch, snack) for every school break. Sessions typically last about two hours. Last year, school children received 1,900 bags of food during summer and five school holidays. Interested groups can call Volunteer Coordinator Hilary Cameron at 404-426-4055 to schedule a break bag session.
• Fill Ministries Aquaponic Farm is a 6-acre farm located at 6405 Bennett Road in Cumming. This property supplies organic produce to their distribution channels and hosts the bed building collaboration (beds for Meals By Grace program children who are sleeping on the floor). Last year, 1,275 volunteers came to the farm to plant, harvest and work on projects benefiting their food-insecure neighbors.
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