Food bank celebrates first year in Dalton, readies for holidays

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October 31, 2012

Food bank celebrates first year in Dalton, readies for holidays

By Christopher Smith christophersmith@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Wed Oct 31, 2012, 09:00 AM EDT

When Michelle Thompson left for Nashville five years ago she believed Dalton was a vibrant city. After returning last March, Thompson said she came home to a struggling community marked by empty buildings, high unemployment (11.2 percent in September for Metro Dalton, which is Murray and Whitfield counties) and hunger.

Thompson might be right.

Every sixth person you walk by today might be struggling to feed his or her family, according to officials with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.

The organization holds a ribbon cutting today at 10:30 a.m. with the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce at the Northwest Georgia Branch at 1111 S. Hamilton St.

“The branched opened here because the need was so great,” said Thompson, operations assistant at the Dalton branch. “Since last October, we have distributed three million pounds of food. Our agencies — churches, nonprofits, other community support groups — have also doubled this year from 30 to 63. We are celebrating our growth, but also looking forward to how we can help.”

One way to help is coming to the trade center on Dec. 7, said Thompson.

“The event is called Share your Christmas,” Thompson said. “It has been going on for 28 years now, but this is the third year in Dalton. The trade center will be hosting. It’s the largest drive-through food drive — between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. — where all you have to do is bring the food you can donate to the trade center parking lot. You don’t even have to get out of your car.”

Thompson said donations should be non-perishable items that can survive distribution, including bags of rice, pasta, canned fruits, canned vegetables and canned soups.

“If you’re at the grocery store, think about buying something as though you had another family member this year,” Thompson said. “We have a true problem and it doesn’t take that much to fix it. Just ask, ‘What could I do to feed a someone for three days?’ It doesn’t take a lot to feed a neighbor.”

That neighbor might not fit stereotypes linked with the impoverished, said Thompson.

“I had friends of mine who made well over $100,000 a year before the economic crisis,” she said. “They both lost their jobs and now are on food stamps. This crisis does not distinguish. I was unemployed for eight months so I understand how hard to find employment right now. I’m very blessed to stumble upon this tradition and to be able to help gather food to feed our community.”

The food will be gathered and handed out through the 63 agencies working with the Dalton food bank branch. Thompson said some agencies include The Salvation Army, Family Crisis Center and First Baptist’s Soul Food Ministry.

For more information on the food bank visit www.chattfoodbank.org or call (706) 508-8591.

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Food bank celebrates first year in Dalton, readies for holidays

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