North Augusta showed its generosity to the less fortunate during the holidays by helping to keep the food pantry shelves full at the Community Ministry of North Augusta.
Ministry officials said food donations poured in from schools, churches, civic groups and individuals, providing sustenance to families during the ministry's busiest season, said Cindy Steele, the ministry's director.
"We had four pickup trucks full of food from North Augusta High School," Steele said. "They had a battle of the classes."
North Augusta Department of Public Safety Lt. Verne Sadler helps organize donations at schools throughout the community each year, she said. This year, every school in the community donated to the pantry, contributing more than 5,000 cans, Steele said.
More than 1,000 of those cans were collected in December during the Powder Puff football games held at North Augusta High, she said.
A Sunday school class at Grace United Methodist Church donated 44 hams at Christmas after giving 25 turkeys before Thanksgiving, Steele said. The women at Fairview Presbyterian Church made gift bags of food and many other churches donated food throughout the holidays.
"Individuals brought things, too," she said. "Nine times out of 10, they don't want any recognition."
The food pantry also received considerable help from the private sector. Publix and Kroger continued their weekly donations of bread products to the ministry, Steele said.
The week of Christmas, 50 families received bags of food, pantry worker Michelle Choler said.
"We were busy," she said.
Steele said they try to give a little more to the needy during the holidays.
"The more generous we are with what we can do with food, the more we feel it will be provided for us," she said.
Not only does the food pantry hand out food but it also provides paper products, which are not covered by food stamps.
"We appreciate everybody's help locally to keep us going here and they've been faithful over the years," Steele said. "We'll use this food the next couple months and then get a little low by Easter."
Monetary donations received during the holidays will be used to buy food when the pantry's stores begin to get low, she said.
The food pantry accepted more than just food and monetary donations. Community organizations, such as the Greater North Augusta Chamber of Commerce, the North Augusta Optimist Club and Belvedere First Baptist Church, donated enough toys to the ministry's toy drive to supply presents to 14 needy families, Steele said.
The ministry was grateful for the community's support.
"We are overwhelmed with all the generosity and appreciative of all the support they give us here and we look forward to serving the community this year," she said.
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
