In the midst of a troubling government shutdown and a consequential pause in SNAP benefits, Elizabeth Baptist Church has swiftly responded to the expanding crisis of food insecurity in Georgia. Their initiative, Operation Uplift, amassed volunteers who distributed a significant amount of groceries to thousands grappling with financial hardships. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the church managed to feed around 5,000 people at four different locations this Saturday.
The senior pastor of the church, Craig Oliver, expressed the urgency of the situation, “A lot of what it relates to our world and especially as it relates to the economy and government shutdown. We decided if there’s ever a time must not just have church but be the church, it is certainly during this particular time,” he told FOX 5 Atlanta. Amidst rising grocery prices, recipients of the church’s generosity found some relief. “What I used to buy for 50 dollars is now at like 100 or more,” one beneficiary, Flor Marshall, recounted.
Striving beyond just providing sustenance, Elizabeth Baptist Church focused on distributing nutritious food options. “It is important that we give away fresh produce because we recognize that some of the processed food has a detrimental effect on our health,” said Senior Pastor Oliver in a statement obtained by 11Alive. Recipients also received prayer and blessings, to reinforce community spirit and hope in these trying times…