The Georgia Spa Gives Back program selected New Path 1010 to be its recipient for the second quarter of 2020. A portion of Georgia Spa's proceeds from April and May went to supporting New Path 1010.
About New Path 1010
New Path 1010, exists to equip and empower multiple generations of people in the Barrow County community through programs and services designed to bring about holistic change.
In the spring of 2016, a small group of people began meeting to identify challenges facing the Barrow County community. This group recognized the underserved needs that exist: homelessness, hunger, generational poverty, illiteracy, substance abuse and fractured family units, often requiring foster care. With all of theses issue, in some form, compounding one another, the group zeroed in on hunter and generational poverty. New Path 1010 was created so that the next generation can know they can choose a different path of life regardless of the generations that came before them.
New Path's Weekend Food Bag Program
New Path observed that some students were "food insecure" not knowing where their next meal would come from when they leave school on Friday and before they return back on Monday. Other organizations were doing what they could by supplying food bags but the school system was not able to serve every kid in need. In the 2018-19 school year, New Path launched its Weekend Food Bag program and started serving two schools and 32 students per week. Now, the program serves seven schools and 274 students each week, and the bags contain two breakfast items, two lunch items, and two dinner items along with four-to-six snacks.
Food Distribution Service Shifted to Families of Barrow County Amid COVID-19
At the onset of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, New Path was able to secure enough inventory to pack 1,200 bags to continue serving students in the community when needed. However, these bags have not yet been utilized given a USDA program that allows two school cafeterias to provide breakfast and lunch every day for students. Thus, the need New Path aims to address has shifted from just feeding students to helping feed families.
Beginning in April and continuing into the summer, New Path hosted a 10,000 lb. food distribution for Barrow County residents. This distribution was open to the public and followed income guidelines as required by the USDA and Northeast Georgia Food Bank (although proof of income is not required). Because foods received from the food bank vary, New Path supplemented the food distribution with their own supply.
Purchases at Georgia Spa Company in the month of April and May went to supporting New Path's continued support of the Barrow County community as they position the organization to serve where needed.
For the latest information on New Path and about the Barrow County food distribution program, please visit the New Path 1010 website or Facebook page.