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Hosea Helps feeds 1,500 people on Christmas as demand for aid surges

By Annie Mapp
Published  December 25, 2025 5:54pm EST
Holidays
FOX 5 Atlanta
Hosea Helps feeds 1,500 people for Christmas

Hosea Helps feeds 1,500 people for Christmas

Dozens of people spent their Christmas holiday making sure Metro Atlanta families in need had a hot meal on the table.

The Brief

    • Nearly 200 volunteers with the nonprofit Hosea Helps spent Christmas Day feeding 1,500 people across metro Atlanta.
    • The organization reported that more than 90% of those served are either currently homeless or struggling to pay basic utility bills.
    • Leaders say they are seeing a record-high demand for help this year due to recent cuts in SNAP benefits and the rising cost of living.

ATLANTA - Dozens of people spent their Christmas holiday making sure metro Atlanta families in need had a hot meal on the table.

What they're saying:

The nonprofit Hosea Helps has served free holiday meals since 1971. Its leaders tell FOX 5 nearly 200 volunteers helped them feed 1,500 people.

"Forty percent of those are at risk of being homeless or are already homeless somewhere in a shelter; the other 55% are struggling to keep the utilities going," said Afemo Omilami, Hosea Helps chief operating officer.

While some volunteers focused on serving plates, others used their own vehicles to personally deliver the meals.

Families and individuals were able to register on the Hosea Helps website, where they had to answer a list of questions to be considered.

According to Hosea Helps leaders, the spots filled up within a few hours.

"We’re servicing more people now than ever," Omilami said. "2025, you know about the SNAP, the benefits cut, so naturally you’re going to see hardworking, decent people say, ‘Man, I can’t do enough for my family.’"

The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5's Annie Mapp speaking with Hosea Helps COO Afemo Omilami.

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