History of the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank

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History

In May 1981, Reverend Ben Fore, Director of Christian Social Ministries of the Macon Baptist Association, visited St. Luke's Outreach Program in Atlanta. He returned to Macon with a dream. This dream he shared with twenty citizens of our area, and on March 1, 1982, with $1,000 in startup funds from the United Way, the Macon Area Food Bank was incorporated. Reverend Fore operated the Food Bank our of a donated pickup truck and a small storage area in the basement of the Macon Rescue Mission.

During the first year, the operation moved to a 4,500 square foot warehouse, 75 years old, on Fifth Street. Out of its first locations the first year, the Macon Area Food Bank distributed 3,235 pounds of food to those citizens of Macon in need.

In 1983, the Food Bank grew to 20 member agencies in two counties being served by volunteers. Distribution in 1983 grew to 12,884 pounds.

During 1983-84, the Timberlake Grocery Company and the Keebler Corporation became the Food Bank's major suppliers. Agency participation increased as the supply and variety of food products increased. Distribution in 1984 went to 130,038 pounds.

In 1985 all expenses grew, and Reverend Ben Fore became the first paid Director of the Macon Area Food Bank. The Macon Baptist Association was paid for in-kind services of Reverend Fore. Donated food products continued to increase and distribution grew to 278,195 pounds. Share contributions were increased from 10 cents to 12 cents per pound.

In January of 1986, the Macon Area Food Bank became affiliated with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and, through it, with the Second Harvest National Food Bank Network. This placed new and more stringent standards of record keeping and food handling procedures on the staff and volunteers of the Food Bank. The new standards made the Food Bank and our member agencies more accountable for our varied activities. Our name was changed to the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, Inc., and took on the responsibility of a 26 county area surrounding Bibb County as our designated area of operation. Distribution increased to 350,000 pounds.

September 1987, witnessed the relocation of the MGCFB to a more spacious warehouse and office space on Seventh Street. With the increased storage area and new office space, the MGCFB became more efficient in the handling, record keeping, and solicitation of food products. Distribution in 1987 reached 385,000 pounds.

During the summer of 1987, Piggly Wiggly Southern opened its Product Recovery Center to the MGCFB for donation of food products and the variety and quantity of salvageable food products was greatly enhanced.

With a solidified staff toward the Fall of 1988, the MGCFB increased its incoming food products, and distribution jumped to 662,335 pounds. In-house programs of "Brown Bags", "Hunger Project", and loaned "Freezer Project" were enhanced and grew. Donations continued to increase, and additional refrigeration was acquired.

1989 marked a tremendous growth as the distribution increased to 1,309,780 pounds. The working conditions, equipment, and paid staff were expanded yet maintained a peak of efficiency.

On January 1991, the MGCFB moved to a new location with expanded warehouse space and refrigeration. The new building was financed with the owner with a 30 year mortgage. With a grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation and 9 years of mortgage payments, the MGCFB was able to "burn" the mortgage.

In 1993 the MGCFB became a Certified affiliate with Second Harvest. Our positional change facilitated additional product shares, an equal voice in Second Harvest with other certified food banks including Atlanta, and an increased level of integrity and recognition.

Through the ensuing years, the MGCFB has continued to progress in meeting the needs of the Middle Georgia Area. The MGCFB regularly distributes in excess of 6,000,000 pounds of food annually through an average of 275 Participating Agencies.

In 1997 "OPCAR" (Operation Partnership/Children at Risk) was conceived as an additional in-house program. Through the program, the MGCFB supplies snacks and beverages to organizations directly involved with youth. This expanded the outreach of the MGCFB, meeting a specific need in the communities served.

The "Toy Room" (toys for Christmas) was born in 1999 to help meet the needs of families at Christmas as a new in-house program. The "Toy Room" has become an annual event with thousands of toys distributed through Participating Agencies. The design is to meet needs of families that may fall outside the parameters of more recognizable Christmas programs. The program follows a philosophy that "all children deserve a toy for Christmas."

Capabilities and staffing have not changed significantly since 1995. With the uncertainty of the future, the MGCFB has assessed capabilities, staffing, and facility. In the infancy of the new century, there is a real need for additional staff and a much larger facility designed for the specific operation of the MGCFB.

A new program is under assessment for an expanded distribution of prepared bags for the rural communities served. "RFD-II" (Rural Food Delivery - Too) will distribute food bags to identified families and seniors in our more rural service area. As the next decade progresses, the MGCFB will be progressing toward another turn in its history.

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