Local program feeds the mind and body

It started with a simple question in early March when Lynn Sylvester, a member of Lumpkin County Board of Education representing District 4, came to Community Helping Place’s thrift store.
“What do you do with the books you don’t sell?” asked Sylvester.
Melissa Line, Executive Director of Community Helping Place (CHP), explained how they’re donated to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office jail or the Lumpkin County Library. If no one wants their surplus of books, they have to be discarded. So Sylvester proposed a solution.
“Lynn [Sylvester] had dreamed of doing a bookmobile in Lumpkin County,” said Line. “She had even bought her own school bus recently and wanted to outfit it, suggesting we give out books for free that don’t sell.”
It wasn’t until Line attended Healthcare Georgia Foundation’s annual Connections conference that inspiration struck. A fellow participant from South Georgia shared about their program, where they gave away books and produce to those in need.
Line attended this conference because CHP was a fiscal agent in a coalition called “#LumpkinMatters,” with 85–86 partners receiving a five-year grant from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation in 2017. The Healthcare Georgia Foundation awarded these coalitions as part of their “Two Georgias Initiative,” which sought to provide funding for the development of community health improvement plans for rural and urban communities of Georgia.
With the five-year grant coming to a close in June 2022, CHP had only a few thousand dollars left, and Line knew where she wanted to direct those remaining funds. Sylvester’s bookmobile idea pervaded, so CHP started putting together “Well Read, Well Fed,” a community outreach program to bring free books and nutritious foods to Lumpkin County’s at-need neighborhood children.
“I asked Chandler [Girton], our case worker here, if he could get three churches to send volunteers,” said Line. “And he said, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’”
Concord Baptist Church, Christ Family Church, and The Torch found volunteers, with some even running a book drive to contribute free books. Bridgette Barker at Family Connection provided information on the neighborhoods that would benefit the most from their support.
Karen Shepherd with Lumpkin Literacy, Keri Whitmire and Jennifer Moss as part of Kiwanis (who also both work for Lumpkin County Schools), the Dahlonega Women’s Club, and the Dahlonega Retired Teachers Club all pooled together resources and expertise to support Well Read, Well Fed.
When the need for food along with books became apparent CHP paired produce purchases and donations from the Tomato House Farms and Stillwater Farm in Dawsonville. The remaining food came from their own home-grown garden as well as their Summer Food program to bring fresh produce to people.
“We’re almost in a food desert here in Dahlonega,” said Line. “So there are great programs, but transportation is the tough part.”

THE EXTRA MILE

Line and Sylvester noted that it’s not enough to have a program to help people if you can’t reach them. This was markedly apparent for people with disabilities, who volunteers assisted with book and food selections. CHP also had translators to connect with Spanish-speaking residents and pass out Spanish books.
As transportation for this initiative was a crucial component to deliver books and food, that’s where Sylvester came in. She was excited to offer the private bus she bought in 2021 at a school board auction.
“Sylvester honked the horn while the church volunteers knocked on doors,” said Line. “We were also surprised by how many seniors and adults came out in addition to the kids.”
Their first distribution was on June 7, where they visited Golden Hills Apartments, Oak Grove Mobile Home park, Owl Court mobile homes, and Hummingbird Court housing projects. Their 19 volunteers served 50 families and distributed 280 books and 300 pounds of bread, watermelons, cereal bars, potatoes, and corn.
Their second distribution was on June 22. They reached Highland Trace Apartments and then the Wellington subdivision with 21 volunteers, serving 45 families and handing out over 300 books and 400 pounds of bread, cereal bars, strawberries, and carrots.
Their third and final distribution was on July 19, where they served 70 families at Golden Hills Apartments and Highland Trace Apartments with the help of 22 volunteers and six visitors from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation. They gave out roughly 360 books and 550 pounds of bread, cereal bars, veggie chips, peaches, and cantaloupes.

FUTURE FUNDING

It’s the CHP staff’s aim that through acquiring grants, their organization can expand its garden to bring more organic produce to locals. Additionally, they’re seeking more community partners to secure locally-produced food donations for quality offerings.
They also hope that the community will stand with them in securing their own bus. By doing so, they plan to share it with Family Connection and other organizations in Dahlonega. This would provide much-needed mobility for many organizations’ programs so that they can overcome geographic barriers.
“My bus is only a short bus,” explained Sylvester. “So it’s adequate, but it’s not a long-term solution [for Well Read, Well Fed].”
If CHP were to have its own bus, its plan would be to remove half the seats and place a generator in the back. A refrigerator/cooler would be connected to said generated to keep food fresh. A bolted desk would be next to it with a privacy curtain, where a nurse volunteer or other medical volunteer could sit. This would turn the back of the bus into place for a medical exam, while the front half of the bus would retain its seats so that CHP could transport people who lack reliable vehicles.
Line says her ultimate goal is to make Well Read, Well Fed a regular summer program with one outreach trip per week, rotating between four to five of the most at-need neighborhoods.
“We need to go to people and treat them with dignity,” said Line. “Our volunteers and staff do their best to be relatable to help people who are in hard times.”
Line expressed that a regular summer program like Well Read, Well Fed, would allow the CHP staff and other Lumpkin County non-profit organizations to show people in need that respect, but on the go.