Food Giveaway to Aid Low-Income Households

Throughout the month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving away surplus food to low-income households in Central Georgia. Some of the food items include canned vegetables, canned fruits, peanut butter, and cereal. Nearly four hundred people in Baldwin County lined up today at the Walter B. Williams Recreation Center in Milledgeville to stock their pantries.

Out of three-hundred sixty people who showed up for help, Dallas Cooley is number one fifty-five. It is the second year he and his wife Deanna have stood in line for the Emergency Assistance Program, and it is something he never thought he would do.

"It's just one of those things where you say--Ok, I can do this. This is not a bad thing. We're not alone, other people are doing it, so we're going to do it," Cooley says.

Both unemployed for a year and a half, Cooley and his wife are consultants in the construction industry. They do not know when their next project might come, so the Cooley's hope that picking up some free food will save them a little money until then.

"This is going to help us immensely for a little more period of time," says Cooley, "We're thankful for it."

Although Cooley says he and his wife have always felt self-sufficient, he says he does not feel any shame accepting a little help when he looks around at how many others are in the same situation.

"Sometimes you have to humble yourself and be aware that there's nothing wrong with using what is available to your advantage just to tide you over," Cooley says.

The next round of food distribution is in June and then again in August, but Cooley says he hopes this is the last time he has to stand in line.

"It doesn't make a lot of sense not to take advantage of what's available," he says, "But hopefully we won't have to be doing this next year."

Upcoming food giveaways:

Tuesday, May 19, 2009: Wilkinson County, Irwinton United Methodist Church, 104 Brookwood Dr., Irwinton

Thursday, May 21, 2009: Putnam County, Senior Citizens Center, 357 Sumpter St., Eatonton

Tuesday, May 26, 2009: Jasper County, Funderberg Park Pavilion, Funderberg Dr., Monticello

Wednesday, May 27, 2009: Washington County, 200 Franklin Haynes Blvd., Sandersville

Thursday, May 28, 2009: Hancock County, Hancock Youth Center, Hwy 16 East, Sparta

This month's food distributions will start at 10 a.m. and continue until 2 p.m. or until the food runs out.