A significant milestone was reached today as Feed the Boro, a beacon of hope in the fight against food insecurity in Bulloch County, quietly but powerfully distributed its 3 millionth meal. The landmark event unfolded during their regular monthly food drop at Statesboro High School on Saturday, May 17, 2025, marking 27 years of dedicated service to the community.
The honor of receiving the 3 millionth meal went to Roy Myrick, a retiree who demonstrated his dedication by arriving shortly after 4 am to join the line. Myrick shared that the monthly food drops have become an invaluable resource for his family and his neighbors, with whom he regularly shares the distributed groceries.
Adding to the significance of the moment, Don Poe, Chair of Feed the Boro, and Billy Williams, Divisional Vice President for Food Lion, were present to acknowledge Myrick’s place in this historic event. Williams presented Myrick with a Food Lion gift card, symbolizing the strong partnership between the grocery chain and the local nonprofit. Food Lion has been the presenting sponsor for Feed the Boro, a commitment initiated and championed by Tod Marsh even before the store was officially under the Food Lion banner.
At the event Williams discussed with me the meaning of this milestone for Food Lion as a company.
“As an organization, we truly believe in food security and giving back to the community, and Food Lion Feeds is a really important part of that,” Williams explained. “When I think about the fact that we just donated one billion more meals inside of our organization, and we did it 10 months earlier than our goal, this is just another example of our organization and how important it is for us to give back to the community.”
Williams' active presence in stores and communities Food Lion serves gives him a unique perspective to share his thought on Feed the Boro's significance for our community. “I would say that I certainly have an opportunity to participate in lots of events,” Williams responded. “And what I really appreciate about Feed the Boro is really our local partnership with Feed the Boro, our store manager here in Statesboro, Todd Marsh, Don Poe, our leader inside of Feed the Boro. This is just an amazing organization.”
He further elaborated on the efficiency and community spirit of Feed the Boro’s operations. “What I really appreciate is, you know, Angela Wheeler and I were talking about this earlier, is how well organized it is. Every time that we’ve been out here, whether it’s the 1 million, two million, now the three millionth meal, it’s always organized, lots of volunteers, and it’s just a great event that takes place every time we have a chance to be out here.”
One of the additional impacts of the food drops is the positive influence Feed the Boro has on local youth. Many scholarship recipients mention the organization as a significant philanthropic endeavor. Williams enthusiastically agreed, “Yeah, I think I think that’s great. If I think about some of our associates out here, there are kids of our associates out here, there are spouses of associates out here, and giving back to the community starts. There's no age limit in regards to when giving back to the community starts. And it just it feels really good to see young kids out here, giving back to the community in the way that they are today.”
Looking to the future, Williams shared an ambitious goal for Food Lion Feeds. “I think what's really important for our organization, we just announced this year another goal that we have as an organization, which is giving 1.5 billion more meals by 2032. And I think that's just a continued testament to our dedication as an organization from a Food Lion Feeds perspective, and our continued dedication in regards to food insecurity. And we truly believe that at Food Lion, it's our purpose, it's who we are, it's woven into the fabric of our culture as an organization, and it feels great to be out here on another Saturday morning giving back to the community for a great cause. It is because of partners like Feed the Boro we are able to achieve our billion more meal goal.”
Tod Marsh, the local Food Lion store manager, added his perspective on the achievement. “It's just amazing here that, you know, we talk about the billions of meals that Food Lion has given away, and in one local community, we hit 3 million meals. I mean, that is just pretty outstanding, and we just thank Feed the Boro for the partnership, of course, we thank our company Food Lion and Food Lion Feeds along with The Islands, and all of our sponsors and volunteers, we couldn't do this without everybody.”
The distribution of the 3 millionth meal underscores the vital role Feed the Boro plays in the community, supported by dedicated partners like Food Lion, The Islands and an army of volunteers committed to alleviating food insecurity in the region.
During the event Don Poe also recognized individuals and organizations that have provided overwhelming support to the success of Feed the Boro. You can see images of these presentations in the gallery at the top of this story.
These included:
- Food Lion and Food Lion Feeds
- The Islands
- Billy Williams, Food Lion
- Angela Wheeler, Food Lion
- Foundry Broadcasting
- Texas Roadhouse
- Statesboro High School
- Shuman Farms
- Weichert Realty
The monthly food drops at Statesboro High School continue to be a lifeline for thousands of families and a gateway to giving back for hundreds of volunteers, demonstrating the power of collective action in addressing community needs.
Visit FeedtheBoro.com to learn how you can volunteer, contribute or participate in the next food drop.
