Tifton local organizations and volunteers providing resources to needy citizens

TIFTON, Ga. – Local organizations and volunteers are stepping up to provide vital resources to the citizens of Tifton.

In Georgia, a significant number of individuals and families are in dire need of basic resources such as food, clothing, and shelter.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state’s overall poverty rate in 2023 was approximately 14.3%. This translates to around 1.57 million people living in poverty out of Georgia’s estimated 11 million residents.

“We provide, food, clothing, other necessary items. We do have a food pantry. We receive donations of canned goods. We have a food drive, and sometimes they need clothing and we can also give them a clothing voucher. We write that voucher and they are able to go in our store and pick out the clothes that they want and their sizes, and they don’t have to pay for those items. Sometimes we have families come in that have had a house fire and they may need other things besides groceries and clothing. They may need furniture, pots and pans or dishes and things like that. If we don’t have something that they need, we try to make referrals to other agencies in town that we work with as well. We also have our social services. We assist with paying rent and utilities. We partner with Georgia Power and the project share. People that use Georgia Power, they can donate every month, that goes in a big fund for us, and we’re able to use that money to pay rent or utilities for people that come up with an emergency. We also have an emergency disaster team. The most recent one was Hurricane Idalia down in Valdosta. We had canteens and equipment come from all over the State of Georgia. We went down there and we were able to serve food, cleaning kits, and different supplies. We also have something called emotional spiritual care, where when you’re going through a disaster, you know, it’s a very traumatizing thing, and you don’t know where to turn. So, we who love being able to pray with people and give them that hope that it’s going to be okay,” said Debra Cannon, Director, Tifton Salvation Army.

Local organizations in Tifton are committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable residents receive the essential support they need. Notable organizations include Coastal Plains of Tift, Bridging the Gap community resource, Mell Baptist Association, and the Tiftarea Community Food Bank.

Debora Cannon, director of the Tift Salvation Army, shares how individuals can join these efforts to help those in need.

“Anyone can donate, we accept accept donations Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. And, to volunteer, we have a volunteer form in our store at the cash register in a notebook where anyone can come in and fill that out. I’ll go over it and I’ll give them a call and we can set up a time for them to come in and volunteer. And, we have several different jobs that they can do. And, they get to choose. They get to choose when they want to come in, what they do. We encourage anybody, if you are going through something or even if you know of someone, you’re welcome to call us 229-361-503, and we’re gonna try to help anyway that we can,” said Cannon.

Although many of us may not be aware of the significant disparities that exist within our own communities, it is crucial that we take proactive steps to assist those individuals who need our help the most.

De’Andra Jacobs reporting.

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