Volunteers load food into a cart at the Colquitt County Food Bank. From left are Connie Fleetwood, David Friedlander and Pat Scott.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — PCOM South Georgia donated $5,000 to United Way of Colquitt County to aid in the relief of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“All over the world, United Way is connecting people to resources and up-to-date, accurate information,” said Carolyn Horne, executive director of the United Way of Colquitt County. “We’ve always been focused on underlying social problems, and those problems are magnified now. When shuttered schools mean children from low-wage families may not be eating enough healthy meals, our local United Way is stepping up. When food pantries are overwhelmed, partially because people who used to donate are now in need of food, United Way is stepping up. And when people who’ve lost hours or jobs need help getting by, United Way connects them to available local resources.”

United Way of Colquitt County has met with its executive committee and special grants committee to split the allocation of the funds provided by PCOM South Georgia to the Colquitt County Food Bank and Boys and Girls Club of Moultrie/Colquitt County, both of which are operating local feeding programs.

Colquitt County Food Bank has seen a significant increase in numbers from last year serving 1,078 families from January to March 31, to this year serving 1,832 families since January, Horne said. They have doubled their orders and are seeing an influx of new clients throughout the timeframe of this pandemic, serving around 75 families a day. Their needs go beyond food as they are working to implement a drive-thru option for picking up and placing orders, which should help with safety precautions. 

Boys and Girls Club of Moultrie/Colquitt County started with five feeding sites during the first week of state-wide social distancing with an increase to eight feeding sites as of last week, Horne said. Feeding sites include: BGC Moultrie/CC Housing Authority, Haven Hill Estates, Packer Villas, Shy Manor Terrace, Berlin Youth Center, Ashton Crossing Apartment Homes, Paradise Apartments, and The Upper Room. Instead of providing their usual 420 meals daily, their production is now approximately 1,425 per day making it 7,250 meals weekly. Meals are provided Monday–Friday and twice per day (breakfast and lunch) at each of the eight feeding sites.

United Way of Colquitt County continues to support its local nonprofits through community pledges and payroll donations to fund their annual allocations while using the COVID-19 Relief Fund to strictly help address current emergency needs during the spread of the virus, Horne said. Home-delivered meal programs like Meals on Wheels and Community Action Council are continuing to deliver meals to the elderly and shut ins with the addition of congregate clients added to delivery routes.

For more information or assistance, contact Horne at caroline@uwccga.org or (229) 985-2627.