100 Black Men of Valdosta feeds hungry, homeless
Published 10:56 am Saturday, November 23, 2024
Malcolm Warren and Matthew McGriff tend the grill at the 100 Black Men of Valdosta's annual Thanksgiving meal Saturday. (Kevin C. Hall | The Valdosta Daily Times)
Volunteers from New Life Ministries fill plates at the 100 Black Men of Valdosta's annual Thanksgiving meal Saturday. From left are John Jenkins, Jessica Thrasher, Charmane Glenn, Reiva Thomas and Barbara Crossgrow. Other volunteers, not shown, were Ida Sirmans, Betty Smith, Cynthia Clark and Ron Isom. (Kevin C. Hall | The Valdosta Daily Times)
VALDOSTA — Members of the 100 Black Men of Valdosta teamed up with New Life Ministries and the Salvation Army to feed more than 1,000 people today.
The annual meal at the Salvation Army on Troup Street began at 10 a.m.
The 100 Black Men chapter has sponsored a Thanksgiving meal for the hungry and homeless since 1995. President Warren Lee said they usually feed between 1,500 and 2,000 people at the annual event. Nathaniel Haugabrook, who has chaired the effort since it began, said they were preparing for 1,200 to 1,400 on Saturday.
“Forty-four turkeys,” Haugabrook said, along with 35 pans of green beans, 35 pans of dressing, 30 pans of greens, and about 10 pans each of macaroni and cheese and of potato salad — plus cranberry sauce, of course.
As the 100 Black Men members cooked the meat on grills outside the Salvation Army, volunteers from New Life Ministries began filling Styrofoam plates with the meals.
“We used to have a sit-down eat,” Lee said, “but with Covid still hanging around, we pack them to-go.”
Haugabrook said this year’s effort started early — thanks to Hurricane Helene. The 100 Black Men and New Life Ministries partnered with Big Nick’s restaurant and the American Red Cross to feed residents at three apartment complexes that were without electricity following the storm. They served about 300 meals over four days, he said.
The group will do another feeding around Christmas, he said.
“We’ve seen a great need, especially when we were at the apartment complexes,” he added.
Speaking about the homeless, Lee agreed: “This is probably the only decent meal they’ll get today. … Hopefully we’re making a difference in these individuals’ lives.”
