Food Pantries, Meals on Wheels Help Coweta Families with Food Needs

By LaTINA EMERSON, Special to The Coweta Shopper

Grocery prices remain high, and many families are being forced to cut back on food purchases so they can afford other necessities. Food insecurity, which is not having access to sufficient or quality food, can affect people of all ages, from senior citizens to young children.

To help fight hunger, local food pantries, nonprofit organizations and ministries are helping Coweta residents to put food on the table. Learn more about these resources:

The Salvation Army of Newnan

The Salvation Army of Newnan strives to reduce hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need. The nonprofit organization has a food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon for Coweta County residents. To receive assistance, residents must present a photo ID and complete required paperwork.

The nonprofit also assists with clothing and utilities. To receive financial assistance, call Monday or Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon (for Coweta County residents only).

The Salvation Army of Newnan is at 670 Jefferson St. in Newnan. To access the food pantry, visitors should go to the social services door. For more information, visit https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/newnan/hunger-relief or call 770-251-8181.

One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach

One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach offers food, clothing, shelter and financial assistance to families in crisis. The nonprofit organization operates a food pantry that is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Clients can receive a voucher for a supplemental food box twice a month, but never consecutive weeks. The boxes are prepacked based on the size of the client’s household. To receive food for all household members, clients must list their dependents on the application. Verification, which includes photo ID, Social Security card or birth certificate, is required for all dependents and the client, according to One Roof’s website.

When items are in stock, diapers (infant and adult), baby formula, personal hygiene bundles, and pet food are available upon request.

Clients in need of clothing or shoes can ask for a voucher to the thrift store for needed items. The vouchers can be made for present and verified household members once every six months. The selection of clothing varies with donations and will shift with the seasons. The thrift store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Also, clients can seek financial assistance with utility bills (water, electrical, etc.) or rent. Only Coweta County residents are eligible. Financial assistance is a one-time service, and it will be granted once per household. Clients must complete an in-person application and provide the required support documents (including proof of income from at least the last 30 days). The application will be reviewed before financial support is granted, according to One Roof’s website. Clients can apply for financial assistance on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.

One Roof also has $50 gas cards available. Recipients must be Coweta County residents and earn less than three times the poverty level. Coweta residents who meet the eligibility criteria can apply for gas cards on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m., said Ann Kerlin, Ph.D., executive director of One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach.

In addition, One Roof offers counseling (pastoral and licensed) either virtually or in-person. To receive a free counseling session, call One Roof to set up an appointment, Kerlin explained.

One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach is at 255 Temple Ave. in Newnan. For more information, visit https://www.oneroofoutreach.org, call 770-683-7705 or email [email protected].

Alpha Omega Mission Center (AO House)

The Alpha Omega Mission Center (AO House), a ministry of First Baptist Church in Newnan and the Western Baptist Association, provides food and clothing to those in need. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. Photo ID or proof of identity is required.

The Alpha Omega Mission Center is at 70 Madison St. in Newnan behind First Baptist Church (15 W. Washington St. in Newnan). For more information, visit https://www.fbcnewnan.org/ministries/missions/ao-mission-center/ or call 770-683-6477.

Backpack Buddies of Georgia

Backpack Buddies of Georgia supplies economically disadvantaged children in the Coweta County School System with food for the weekend. The nonprofit also provides holiday break bags to assist families during long school holidays. Each weekend bag includes two breakfast items, two lunch items, two fruit cups and a variety of snacks.

Food assistance is available to all students in Coweta County schools. Students in need should reach out to their high school counselor.

Backpack Buddies is at 96 Werz Industrial Blvd. in Newnan. For more information, visit https://backpackbuddiesga.org/ or call 678-770-8618.

Yeager Road Community Resource Center

The Yeager Road Community Resource Center, a ministry of Newnan First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, has a Mobile Food Pantry on the second Saturday of the month from 3 to 5 p.m. The food is available first come, first served. The upcoming dates for the Mobile Food Pantry are Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9 and Dec. 14.

The Yeager Road Community Resource Center is at 265 Yeager Road in Newnan. For more information, visit https://yeagerrdresourcecenter.org/ or call 770-251-8378.

Palmetto Community Food Pantry

Palmetto Baptist Church’s food pantry, the Palmetto Community Food Pantry, is open each Monday evening from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. to citizens of Palmetto. Families in crisis can come once a month to receive a bag of food and a word of encouragement.

Food donations are also needed. Here’s a list of frequently needed items: jam/jelly, peanut butter, canned veggies, ravioli, spaghetti sauce, Hamburger Helper, chicken/beef broth, Jell-O/pudding cups, alfredo powder mix, ramen noodles, cereal, pancake mix/syrup, SpaghettiOs, mac/cheese, canned soup, Jiffy cornmeal mix, taco meals, instant potatoes, grits/oatmeal packets, Pop-Tarts, and seasoning packets such as taco or chili.

The Palmetto Community Food Pantry is at 6344 North Highway 29 in Palmetto, Ga. For more information, visit https://palmettobaptistchurch.com/missions/ or call 770-463-4642.

Meals on Wheels Coweta

Meals on Wheels Coweta helps elder adults maintain their independence by delivering nutritious meals to them at home. The nonprofit organization serves adults in need who are either: aged 65 or older, homebound because of disability or chronic illness, unable to prepare meals for themselves, don’t receive regular assistance from others, may be on hospice care or may live alone.

Meals are provided to clients through two plans. The first plan provides five meals per week, and the second plan provides seven meals per week. The meals, prepared by a chef, are delivered Monday through Friday to clients on more than 30 routes throughout Coweta County.

Meals on Wheels Coweta can freeze and store meals, so it can make meal deliveries once a week to remote areas of the county that weren’t previously served because of time and distance. The nonprofit can now provide meals to elder adults who weren’t eligible to receive meals before.

For more information on how to receive meals or volunteer, contact Meals on Wheels Coweta at 678-423-1700 or [email protected] or visit https://mealsonwheelscoweta.org.