Exciting news! Bridging the Gap will be featured on 11 Alive News, here in Atlanta, this upcoming week. Stay tuned for details...
In Christ,
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Ministry Assisting 450 People
Original article published on November 24, 2009.
We've come a long way since then! Praises be to God!
Ministry assisting 450 people
By Winston Skinner
The Times-Herald
One morning last week, Alison Wallace was parked in the Bridging the Gap van behind the Food Lion on U.S 29 in Newnan.
Cars pulled up and left -- taking food to hungry people in various locations throughout the area. The ministry started by Wallace earlier this fall gets food that could otherwise be tossed away into the hands, kitchens and stomachs of people who need it.
"There is no need for hunger in Coweta County. This is a flowing river of food," she commented.
Wallace, a gospel singer who has worked with other efforts to help Cowetans in the past, started Bridging the Gap on Sept. 17 with Lee Lewis and Robin Fetrat. The project, she said, was "something I was being called to do."
Wallace had figured out grocery stores have to pull items from their shelves as they near an expiration date. Many of those items -- bread, produce and meat -- still have value as food but cannot be sold. Wallace also figured out there were groups all across Coweta County that had food pantries, food banks or programs that fed people or distributed food to people who needed it one or more days each week.
"It all fell into place. It's remarkable," Wallace said.
Wallace quickly put together a network of volunteers, churches and organizations. Most pick up the food from Wallace. Volunteers at Royal Baptist Church have helped sort and process perishables, and a large group from Evans Middle School assembled canned goods into packages that can supplement the bread, meat and produce.
Wallace said managers at the two Coweta County Food Lion stores on U.S. 29 and at Sargent have been willing to share "anything that was about to go out of date." As a result, Wallace said, "Bridging the Gap is now feeding 450 people per week for free -- with food that would have been thrown away."
Wallace emphasized the organization does not directly feed people. Rather BTG is the conduit that gets food from grocers and other sources to organizations who can get it where it needs to go.
"There are so many churches and there are so many food pantries now that are operating," Wallace said. There are 14 organizations that regularly receive food currently from BTG, and other groups have gotten food from Wallace on occasion.
"I am now up to two trucks. One's a dual axle truck," she said. BTG also has two freezers to keep meat and other items that can be frozen until needed.
In addition to providing perishables, Food Lion is using BTG to distribute the "Feed America" boxes purchased by shoppers for $5 which provide staples for two days for two adults. Food collected during ShareFest, a recent event sponsored by churches throughout the county, is also going to BTG.
Anyone interested in helping with BTG -- or willing to distribute food -- should contact Wallace at apowderwallace@hotmail.com. Contributions to help with the effort can be sent to Bridging the Gap, P.O. Box 223, Newnan, GA 30264.
Wallace feels God called her to start Bridging the Gap, and she said she sees God's hand at work in how the program has grown. When she was donated 4,000 boxes of food, she had nowhere to put it. As she pondered her dilemma, a telephone call came from someone offering immediate use of a 24-foot trailer.
"It is definitely a God thing," she said. "There couldn't be any other way."
In His grace,
We've come a long way since then! Praises be to God!
Ministry assisting 450 people
By Winston Skinner
The Times-Herald
One morning last week, Alison Wallace was parked in the Bridging the Gap van behind the Food Lion on U.S 29 in Newnan.
Cars pulled up and left -- taking food to hungry people in various locations throughout the area. The ministry started by Wallace earlier this fall gets food that could otherwise be tossed away into the hands, kitchens and stomachs of people who need it.
"There is no need for hunger in Coweta County. This is a flowing river of food," she commented.
Wallace, a gospel singer who has worked with other efforts to help Cowetans in the past, started Bridging the Gap on Sept. 17 with Lee Lewis and Robin Fetrat. The project, she said, was "something I was being called to do."
Wallace had figured out grocery stores have to pull items from their shelves as they near an expiration date. Many of those items -- bread, produce and meat -- still have value as food but cannot be sold. Wallace also figured out there were groups all across Coweta County that had food pantries, food banks or programs that fed people or distributed food to people who needed it one or more days each week.
"It all fell into place. It's remarkable," Wallace said.
Wallace quickly put together a network of volunteers, churches and organizations. Most pick up the food from Wallace. Volunteers at Royal Baptist Church have helped sort and process perishables, and a large group from Evans Middle School assembled canned goods into packages that can supplement the bread, meat and produce.
Wallace said managers at the two Coweta County Food Lion stores on U.S. 29 and at Sargent have been willing to share "anything that was about to go out of date." As a result, Wallace said, "Bridging the Gap is now feeding 450 people per week for free -- with food that would have been thrown away."
Wallace emphasized the organization does not directly feed people. Rather BTG is the conduit that gets food from grocers and other sources to organizations who can get it where it needs to go.
"There are so many churches and there are so many food pantries now that are operating," Wallace said. There are 14 organizations that regularly receive food currently from BTG, and other groups have gotten food from Wallace on occasion.
"I am now up to two trucks. One's a dual axle truck," she said. BTG also has two freezers to keep meat and other items that can be frozen until needed.
In addition to providing perishables, Food Lion is using BTG to distribute the "Feed America" boxes purchased by shoppers for $5 which provide staples for two days for two adults. Food collected during ShareFest, a recent event sponsored by churches throughout the county, is also going to BTG.
Anyone interested in helping with BTG -- or willing to distribute food -- should contact Wallace at apowderwallace@hotmail.com. Contributions to help with the effort can be sent to Bridging the Gap, P.O. Box 223, Newnan, GA 30264.
Wallace feels God called her to start Bridging the Gap, and she said she sees God's hand at work in how the program has grown. When she was donated 4,000 boxes of food, she had nowhere to put it. As she pondered her dilemma, a telephone call came from someone offering immediate use of a 24-foot trailer.
"It is definitely a God thing," she said. "There couldn't be any other way."
In His grace,
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Yard Sale at Royal Baptist
Many have asked how they can help Bridging the Gap. Here is a great way! On Saturday, May 1st we will be having a yard sale at Royal Baptist Church in Newnan, GA from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. to benefit Bridging the Gap. If you'd like to donate items or volunteer PLEASE contact Alison on facebook or at btgministry@gmail.com. We can collect all week and store items in our storage unit. Thank you for all that you do in advance.
In His grace,
In His grace,
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Feeding the Community by Grace Alone
Original post made by organization founder, Alison Wallace, on Monday, October 5, 2009.
We are so exited about what God is doing right now, it seems the less we have of 'us', the more we have of 'Him'.
James 1:27: Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep ones self unstained by the world.
For so long I had watched and worried as we begged people to donate money and food to help feed the local people of Coweta County. I spent many days walking through the local food bank crying and worrying, wondering how on earth we were going to feed the next wave of hungry people. Then I realized what the problem was; ME, I, US! We can never rely on ourselves or others to sustain. If it is His will then it will be taken care of.
Yes we can give, but why do we give? Is it through obedience to God? Is that what He has led us to do or do we simply do it because it makes us feel good? Way to go! Good for us! For so long that has been my reason (not purposely). I just did not have that close relationship with my Father. I didn't get it. I could only hear me. I was making choices, doing what I thought was right.
One day, while on my way home from taking my dog to the vets, I got from out of no where (or so i thought) the urge to stop in a the New food lion on 29. I remember thinking "I can't go in there looking like this!" "Yes you can! This isn't about you. This is about getting food for the people." I began to fight with myself. The next thing I knew I was pouring my heart out to Pam Chambers, one of the managers of Food Lion. Well, by the time I finished saying what I had to say, she was on a mission. Both of us had mascara running down our faces and, that very day, she began a food drive. Within 5 weeks the customers of Food Lion had raised over 3000 items for the local food bank.
It didn't take long for J.J, the Store Manager, to see there was a growing need. He spoke to the produce and deli departments and asked them to put on one side certain items each day for me to pick up. Then I got a call from the Food Lion store in Sargent on Hwy 16. Same response there. It became such an incredible outpouring that on September 17Th 2009, 'Bridging The Gap' was formed.
Since that day 14 outreach centers around Coweta are served. 280 people were fed in just one week, just because people cared enough. God said "Now, you are listening and following, and now my people will be fed."
In Christ,
We are so exited about what God is doing right now, it seems the less we have of 'us', the more we have of 'Him'.
James 1:27: Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep ones self unstained by the world.
For so long I had watched and worried as we begged people to donate money and food to help feed the local people of Coweta County. I spent many days walking through the local food bank crying and worrying, wondering how on earth we were going to feed the next wave of hungry people. Then I realized what the problem was; ME, I, US! We can never rely on ourselves or others to sustain. If it is His will then it will be taken care of.
Yes we can give, but why do we give? Is it through obedience to God? Is that what He has led us to do or do we simply do it because it makes us feel good? Way to go! Good for us! For so long that has been my reason (not purposely). I just did not have that close relationship with my Father. I didn't get it. I could only hear me. I was making choices, doing what I thought was right.
One day, while on my way home from taking my dog to the vets, I got from out of no where (or so i thought) the urge to stop in a the New food lion on 29. I remember thinking "I can't go in there looking like this!" "Yes you can! This isn't about you. This is about getting food for the people." I began to fight with myself. The next thing I knew I was pouring my heart out to Pam Chambers, one of the managers of Food Lion. Well, by the time I finished saying what I had to say, she was on a mission. Both of us had mascara running down our faces and, that very day, she began a food drive. Within 5 weeks the customers of Food Lion had raised over 3000 items for the local food bank.
It didn't take long for J.J, the Store Manager, to see there was a growing need. He spoke to the produce and deli departments and asked them to put on one side certain items each day for me to pick up. Then I got a call from the Food Lion store in Sargent on Hwy 16. Same response there. It became such an incredible outpouring that on September 17Th 2009, 'Bridging The Gap' was formed.
Since that day 14 outreach centers around Coweta are served. 280 people were fed in just one week, just because people cared enough. God said "Now, you are listening and following, and now my people will be fed."
In Christ,
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