SW Atlanta families receive thousands of pounds of free food, protective gear

ATLANTA - They're getting ready for a big day of service on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard with a drive-through giveaway of 30,000 pounds of food and 10,000 masks, hand sanitizer bottles, and other personal protective gear. Rev. Willie Clyde of Pathway Christian Church said the donations will make a huge difference for families in southwest Atlanta.

"There's a group of people in this community that still have a need for these services and don't have food, food stamps, and other resources. We also have a lot of homeless in this neighborhood who you often see pushing everything they have in a grocery cart," said Rev. Clyde as he helped set up for the event across the street from his church on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard.

Todd Belcore is the executive director of the national non-profit Social Change. Members will give away items from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at a Ke'Nekt--a Black-owned co-op located at 1492 Ralph David Abernathy. There's no appointment or ID necessary and no income requirements.

"They just tell us whether they want the items in the front seat or the trunk and we'll come in with gloves and masks and provide the items we have available," Belcore said from the Ke'Nekt parking lot as volunteers set up tables for Saturday. "We have some machine washable masks for people putting masks on top of masks and we also have the surgical masks available. We just want to make sure people have what they need in this pandemic.

At the end of the day, even as gentrification comes and sweeps through this community, there are still too many people in dire need and we didn't want to turn our backs on this community," said Belcore, who has family in the community.

The pastor hopes families will take advantage of the drive-through giveaway and visit Ke'Nekt to get the masks and food they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is exactly what parents need right now. And it's free, so I hope they show up," said Rev. Clyde.

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