Atrium, partners feed 2,000 families at Macon drive-thru event

Each family received a 40-pound box of fresh produce during the drive-thru event at Central Georgia Technical College

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Atrium Health Navicent and community partners gave fresh produce to thousands of families Friday during a drive-thru food distribution event at Central Georgia Technical College.

Volunteers loaded more than 105,000 pounds of fresh produce into 2,000 cars during the event. Each family received a 40-pound box of food. Representative from Southeast Produce Council Sloan Lott says they have been participating for the last five years and believe food is medicine.

“Healthy eating helps the community and helps people to live longer and better lives,” Lott said. “And we’re all about produce, we’re all about the consumption of produce, and our goal in life is to get people to eat more fresh produce.”

Georgia President for Atrium Health Delvecchio Finley says giving back is most critical now.

“We believe truly in our field that we are advancing health and open healing. and a big part of that is making sure people have food, and access to fresh food and produce,” he said. “So, having this opportunity combined with other things we do in the organization to meet the food insecurity needs that exist, throughout central and South Georgia is an important role we play in this community.”

Finley believes this food drive will take the pressure off most families.

“Last year we delivered over 105,000 pounds of food, and that’s fresh fruits and produce, helping people to eat healthy, and we did that for over 2,000 families. So, this year we’re looking to do the same thing. We have three tractor-trailers full of food, line going on for hours now, and we know that’s going to make a really big difference in the lives of families across central Georgia.”

Partners in the food distribution include Atrium Health Navicent, Central Georgia Technical College, the Society of St. Andrew, the Southeast Produce Council and Horace Holmes Ministries.

Atrium Health Navicent will host another giveaway next year.