First DUO food pantry and clothing closet opens in Hahria

HAHIRA, Ga. (WALB) - If the federal government shuts down on Sunday, 1.4 million Georgians could eventually lose their SNAP or WIC benefits. It’s just one reason why new food pantries, like one in Hahira, are so valuable to the community.

Inside this building holds the first food pantry and clothing closet here in Hahira, and organizers say their main goal is to showcase the love of God in the community by giving back to those in need, despite the chaos that’s going on in the country.

Citizens Community Center is an outreach of churches collaborating with the goal of serving the public. The building is leased for just $1 a year, currently servicing over 90 people.

“We’re hoping that’s going to grow, we’re hoping this building is going to help us grow,” Tammy Whitley, organizer of the food pantry, said.

Organizers say they saw there was a food need, especially after Hurricane Idalia.

“In our country, it’s hard to believe that we actually have people that are hungry, but if you look around it doesn’t take you long to see that we do have some real issues with food security in our communities,” said Christine Hagen, coordinator of programs at the food pantry.

Those issues will come to the forefront if the government does not decide before Sunday, causing a shutdown. Coordinators say if that happens, they are prepared to lend a helping hand to SNAP and WIC recipients who are directly affected by the shutdown.

“So, we do have a small supply of baby formula that we would be able to help folks out with. We would be fairly safe for a while; we would just have to make our dollar stretch a bit further,” Hagen said.

“So, I believe that we will be okay, that we would just take the funds that we have already built up and be able to help our community,” Whitley said.

After you’re done collecting your items, you can actually head in here for something to wear.

“They wanted it to be a place where the community could come for assistance for feeding and clothing ministries,” said Christine Onorati, the coordinator for the community clothes closet.

“Recently, with Hurricane Idalia, that really came to light with me because people were posting all over Facebook, where can I get some food, where can I get a hot meal and it’s easy to think well that’s not an issue here because we have a lot of resources in this country.”

Items at the clothing closet cost under $5, and according to Onorati, it’s all to better serve the community.

“But it was just inspired originally to assist people who need good, useable clothes for their families that may not be able to afford them,” said Onorati.

Now, despite the turmoil in the government, organizers say they are doing everything they can to make their dollar stretch to support the community.

“It’s called a bag sale and I get a big brown paper bag from the grocery store and charge ten dollars and customers can fill as much as they want into the bag, so if things get difficult that’s another way, I can turn around to make it easier for people to shop,” Onorati said.

“We’re not really worried, the government does not supply our needs, The Lord does,” Hagen said.

The Clothing Closet is operational, and organizers say if we do have a government shutdown, they are prepared to do a giveaway to assist those in need.

If you do need assistance with the food pantry or the clothing closet, you can contact Christie Hagen to receive delivery services at 229-237-3271.