ATLANTA — We first introduced you to the weekly block party on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard in Atlanta more than a year ago: Its purpose was not only to have a good time, but to help hundreds of people living on the streets.
The non-profit Hope Thru Soap provides showers, haircuts, clothes and meals. Since the coronavirus pandemic, things have changed for the non-profit - but the mission is still the same.
“So, we’ve shifted all of our focus away from the showers, haircuts, clothing and food and we're just concentrating on food and hygiene access," Megan Vandebogert with Hope Thru Soap explained. "The food need is critical right now because people on the streets that were getting food from other charities, churches and different groups - a lot of that has slowed down."
Since March, each Saturday a team of volunteers have been riding around Atlanta providing meals to the homeless and families in need all while being safe.
“Last Saturday I pulled over and saw three folks digging out of trash cans. So, that’s really disheartening," said Hope Thru Soap's founder, Jason Winter. "For us to roll around the city and to prevent that from happening, that’s what we are trying to accomplish."
This past weekend Hope Thru Soap handed out 300 meals and 500 pounds of food.
“It’s just not meals that we are delivering," said Vandebogert. "We have created these hope bags. They are 10-pound bags of food that have pop-top cans of protein, tuna fish packets, granola bars, water and then we put full hygiene kits in them."
In just seven weeks, volunteers have served roughly 7,700 pounds of food.
“We’ve served over 6,500 people since the second week of March and that costs a lot of money. So, definitely what keeps up us at night is how are we going to raise enough money to buy all of the food we need,” Vandebogert said. “Then the other part is when are we going to be able to safely go back to resume our block parties and have our showers."
Hope Thru Soap is also partnering with the Atlanta Pledge so they can raise money to continue to help people.
“You never know what somebody’s story is. So, we just try to go out and try to serve and try to help,” Winter stated.
Right now, they are only taking monetary donations. Click here, if you would like to donate.
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