MyConnection APRIL 20, 2016
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Published every Wednesday by The Newnan Times-Herald
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Bridging the Gap Seeking Volunteers Summer Food Program helps feed children that are in need during summer vacation By KANDICE BELL kandice@newnan.com
Bridging the Gap Community Outreach is seeking volunteers for their Summer Lunch Program that is set to launch in June. BGT is a nonprofit organization that has been serving local residents since 2009 who are in need of food, toiletries and other household items. The Summer Food Program helps feed children that are in need during summer vacation. BGT Executive Director Alison Wallace said the organization has been hosting the program since 2011. “This is our sixth year,” said Wallace. “One year we gave out over 10,000 sack lunches throughout the city. We want to feed the babies. During the school year there
is the “Backpack Buddies,” program where children get food on Fridays in their backpack. It’s an incredible program. It’s enough food for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but during the summer we try to fill in and get different churches or other volunteers to sign up a day or all week to help supply the lunches.” BGT Volunteer Coordinator Melanie Reeves said the program will only be available in June and July. “We have two churches signed up already,” said Reeves. “Community Christian Church and Macedonia Baptist Church. We have two weeks and a few days accounted for already. There will be a link on the website where volunteers can sign up for the program.”
Each day BGT will distribute between 60 and 100 sack lunches that include a sandwich, a healthy snack, a bottle of water and a fruit cup with light syrup or no sugar added. “Volunteers can come here and make the sandwiches on site, or they can make them at their own location,” said Wallace. “If they make them off site, they bring them here for distribution. We will have various distribution sites in the area that is convenient for the children to get the lunches. We found that people couldn’t get here because they didn’t have transportation. The distribution site just makes it easier, because a person knows they can get the lunch at a particular time and place.” Reeves said the lunches
PHOTO BY KANDICE BELL
Left to right are Melanie Reeves, Alison Wallace and Kevin Wallace with Bridging the Gap in front of the BGT thrift store.
are usually distributed between noon and 1 p.m. “Volunteers can make the lunches and help us distribute them as well,” said Reeves. “We also have BGT volunteers at the distribution sites to help supervise.” Wallace added that letters will be sent to school counselors to distribute to the students before summer vacation starts. “The letter will highlight times and locations for
the distribution sites,” said Wallace. Reeves and Wallace said that anyone who cannot make sandwiches, can send in a donation to: P.O. Box 223 Newnan, GA 30264. “Sometimes if we have more children than normal, the money helps us to buy more food if needed,” said Wallace. In addition to the Summer Lunch Program, BGT has also launched a thrift store
called the Storehouse that is open on Fridays. Various items such as clothing, toys and other goods are available for a donation of $1 or more. All proceeds benefit BGT. Food distribution is from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday. Those in need are asked to arrive by 9:00 a.m. Doors open for soup and fellowship at 10 a.m. and food boxes are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Coweta in Top 20 Counties for Tornadoes
INSI DE Hea rty
H Hea lthy eartR e ➤ PAG cipes E4
Hearty I HeartHealthy Dishes
Day Boat Cod with Melted Tomatoes and Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad
FAMILY FEATURES
t may sound contrary to your healthy eating plan, but the human body actually needs some types of fat for heart and brain health. One common source is cooking oil, such as olive oil. Of the cooking oils most commonly used in North America, such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil and various vegetable oils, olive oil contains the most monounsaturated fat, which is widely recognized for its potential role in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, beginning in 2016, olive oils will display the American Heart Association’s Heart Check-Mark* to alert con-
sumers about olive oil’s hearthealthy benefits. Experience the distinctive tastes of different varieties of olive oil in these delicious dishes and find more heart-healthy recipes at AboutOliveOil.org.
Vegetable Frittata with Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
By JAMES JOHNSON news@newnan.com Coweta County is among the top 20 counties in Georgia for tornadoes, and Coweta County Emergency Management Director Jay Jones has a few suggestions for local residents for getting through disasters. Jones recently presented a disaster seminar at the Coweta County Commission chambers. Jones talked about how to prepare for a disaster, make a plan, build a “ready kit” and stay involved. A “ready kit” includes basic items a family or individual might need in a disaster: ✓ water, food ✓ radio ✓ extra batteries ✓ canned food, can opener ✓ whistle ✓ face mask and maps Depending on the person, other items might be needed — prescription medication, eyeglasses, infant formula and diapers, pet food, family documents, matches and extra clothing. Many items needed for the kits were displayed during Jones’ talk. Jones also had maps of Coweta County with all the tornado siren loca-
Keeping a “ready kit” is key to being ready if a tornado or other disaster strikes.
tions, along with POD — point of distribution — locations where people might be able to get supplies or other help if a disaster occurred. Jones encouraged the public to visit www.ready.ga.gov to get information on how to assemble a ready kit. Jones recommended attendees at the seminar make plans to attend Community Emergency Response Team training. A new CERT class will begin in the fall. According to the National Weather Service, Coweta county is rated 19th of Georgia’s 159 counties in the number of confirmed tornadoes.
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