Local nonprofits help families prepare for Thanksgiving amid shutdown effects

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two local organizations are working to ensure families have food on the table this Thanksgiving.

This comes as thousands continue recovering from the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Walking Tall Ministries has been giving away 50 turkeys each weekend for the past three Saturdays, with their final turkey giveaway scheduled for Saturday.

“For the last three Saturdays, we have been giving away 50 turkeys per weekend. And this Saturday, the 22nd, will be our final turkey giveaway. We’ll be giving away at least 50 turkeys,” said Zak Moyer, director of Walking Tall Ministries.

The Family YMCA of Greater Augusta is also hosting a Thanksgiving food drive to help families still in need.

‘We love to give’: Sand Hills community center hosts free turkey dinner

The Sand Hills Neighborhood Association distributed free turkey dinners at the Sand Hills Community Center.

“So we’re basically doing a Thanksgiving food drive tomorrow for folks that might still be in need of food for Thanksgiving,” said Cheryl Wirt, chief financial officer for Family YMCA of Greater Augusta.

Demand triples following shutdown

Both organizations report seeing significant increases in demand following the government shutdown. The Family YMCA has seen food needs triple in the past month.

“We have definitely seen at least a triple in the amount of food that was needed across our association. I know food stamps have not kind of gotten back into everybody’s hands. With the government shutdown, people are still trying to get back on their feet,” Wirt said.

Walking Tall Ministries experienced a 50% increase in daily meals served, which strained their food pantry.

LIST: Events to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday

As Thanksgiving nears, we’re on your side with some events to help you celebrate the holiday.

“We did see quite an increase, maybe as much as 50% in the plates that we’re serving each day. And that did hit our pantry pretty hard,” Moyer said.

Organizations adjust to meet demand

The increased demand has forced organizations to adjust their distribution methods. The Family YMCA now provides smaller portions to serve more families.

“We used to be able to supply, I would say, a lot to a few. And so what we’ve had to do is kind of pull back and supply just a little bit less in the bag to support a whole lot more families in general,” Wirt said.

Despite the challenges, organizations remain committed to providing stability for families during uncertain times.

“With this kind of instability, we think it’s important to be a place of stability for families where they know even when difficult situations arise, no matter the time of year, there’s somebody in our community that we can depend on,” Moyer said.

The Family YMCA’s grocery giveaway is scheduled from noon until food runs out.

Walking Tall Ministries’ turkey giveaway runs from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Resources are limited for both events, and organizers recommend arriving early.