When Marsha Fulton got up early on Saturday morning to get in line for Feed the Boro's monthly food distribution, it was different for her this time in many ways. This was Marsha's third time waiting in line, often hours, to receive food.
The last two times she was in line to get food to share primarily with others.
"I host a bible night and use the food to feed the participations physically and spiritually," said Marsha Fulton. "What better way to show the power of God's love than to witness all of these strangers coming together as volunteers monthly, to distribute food to "the least of these." They all do it with such a sweet spirit that it inspires me to do more. These volunteers give me a living and tangible example of the Hands and Feet of Jesus at work."
Marsha also has four grandchildren she tries to help out. She recalls the challenges of being a parent and how sometimes simple things like feeding your children become huge mountains of struggle.
This past week her employer had laid off her son, who worked with her, and let her know that she will be laid off in September. "God always provides, in every need and challenge. The timing of this food drop, lifted my spirit proving that with God there is always a way. HE will send even a stranger to give you light in your darkest moments. Look at all this light!"
Food Lion and Shuman Farms
Then to her surprise, she was stopped in the food line by Don Poe, Feed the Boro's Chairman and told that she was the 1.5 millionth recipient of meals provided by the organization. He then told her that Chris Dove with Food Lion had something else for her. The Vice President of Produce for Food Lion had traveled to Statesboro, along with his wife Melissa, for this very moment. He presented her with a $250 gift card to Food Lion Statesboro.
Fighting back tears, all Marsha could get out was "Aint God Good!"
"Everyone in the Food Lion family has heard about the great work Tod Marsh, the local Food Lion team members and Feed the Boro is doing in Statesboro," said Chris Dove VP of Produce, Food Lion. "But until you stand in this high school parking lot and see the cars lined around the building, many who slept in their cars, it is difficult to fully understand. This is Food Lion at its best. Partnering with the communities we serve to meet the needs is why we all do what we do."
John Shuman, CEO of Shuman Farms, along with his wife Lana, sons Jake and Luke and their entire team joined Food Lion in sponsoring the food drop and were on hand helping distribute the food.
"Food Lion is a great partner of Shuman Farms. We have participated with them in food drops and other charitable events like this. All are touching, but to be this close to home, see this kind of need and all of these people coming together to help is very powerful," said John Shuman. "It is an honor to have my family serving beside Shuman Farm team members and our Food Lion partners helping the communities we serve."
1.5 Million Meals
On Saturday, May 20, 2023 the Statesboro non-profit, Feed the Boro, surpassed 1,591,400 meals delivered to fight food insecurity in Bulloch County.
What did it take to reach this monumental number:
- 29 months of food drops
- 87 full loaded tractor trailers
- 4,060,000 pounds of food
- 2,755 volunteers
- 16,530 volunteers hours
- 348 dozen donuts
"This would not have been possible with out all of our sponsors who have helped us touch the lives of 25,000 familles. The continued, generous support of Food Lion and the sweat equity of Tod Marsh, the entire Food Lion team and so many others," said Don Poe. "None of this would be possible without a wonderful partnership with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia."
Each month we write about the food drops, the volunteers, the sponsors and the people they touch. We continue to encourage you to get up on a Saturday morning and volunteer or just come watch. What you will experience, will change your life.
No building, no paid employees
The most remarkable part about this tremendous act of love is that the Feed the Boro organization doesn't have any office space or even own a building. They have no paid employees. Don Poe volunteers his time, as do the board of directors who lead the organization. They host the food drops in a borrowed parking lot, primarily Statesboro High School with all volunteer labor.
Each month, they gather and lift our communities spirit through food, hope and love.
There are few non-profit organizations you can contribute to or volunteer with that you can make a larger impact and once a month see your contributions at work like you can with Feed the Boro. Every penny donated to them goes directly back to helping fight food insecurity in our community.
Join their mission
FTB invites you to volunteer and join in the efforts to feed the less fortunate. The volunteer need is always higher during the summer with GS students being home for the summer.
Although volunteer spots may be filled, there is another way you can help. FTB encourages you to sponsor a meal for an individual or a family. For a contribution of $15 you can sponsor a family of three, $25 – family of five, $100 – 20 people, etc.
Thanks to FTB's generous sponsors, it only costs around $5 per person to provide groceries for a week.
Feed the Boro continues to raise funds to help with this and other FTB projects. Two easy ways to give is through a check made payable to: Feed the Boro P.O. Box. 2736, Statesboro, 30459 or online at www.feedtheboro.com.
