Thousands of Middle Georgia families receive food through Atrium Health Navicent drive

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – As food prices continue to climb, thousands of families across Middle Georgia received help Friday through Atrium Health Navicent’s annual community food drive.

Lashauna Hunt, Community Health Supervisor for Atrium Health Navicent, says this is the fourth year of the drive, and the mission remains the same.

“I think it says we care,” Hunt said. “We care about our families that are here. We care about our community members, and we want to do what we can to help them in any way we can.”

Hunt says each family received up to 40 pounds of food.

“They recognize there is a need, and we are able to provide for them… so, the boxes that we have, they are able to get 40 pounds per each family, so that is a minimum a $35 cost savings to each family that comes out today.”

Cydney Busbee, Chief of Staff at Atrium Health Navicent, says they’re also focused on fresh produce.

“The reason we do this is because the community really needs help when it comes to fresh produce,” Busbee said. “One, having access throughout the community. But also, the pricing, and we all know in the last three of four years the pricing of fresh produce have become astronomical for most families, so today we’re focused on fresh produce for them today.”

Busbee says the event’s organization helps meet the need efficiently.

“I think they love what we’ve done with the logistics,” she said. “Having it here at the mall, you come in from one side and wrap around the mall, we’re using law enforcement and code enforcement to make sure everybody gets through quickly, and we will feed thousands of families, and that’s what they love.”

Hunt says this year’s turnout was one of the largest yet, serving at least 3,000 families.