ATLANTA — With less than 24 hours to go, one of the largest nonprofits in the metro Atlanta area is getting ready to serve hundreds of people for Thanksgiving.
Hosea Helps was created over a half century ago by Civil Rights Leader Hosea Williams and over the years has helped provide thousands of Thanksgiving meals. But this year, the founder's daughter Elisabeth Omilami said the need is unlike anything she's ever seen before.
“This is different than any other year I have seen. It is a critical time for these families. It's not extra icing on the cake. It is the determining factor for their holiday," said Omilami.
In order to accommodate the increased need, the nonprofit got started early this Thanksgiving handing out food boxes on Wednesday that will feed families of four for two weeks.
"I'm seeing a middle class struggling that I haven't seen before. They are people that don't want to be there and wouldn't be there if they didn't have to be there," added Omilami.
Starting bright and early, the nonprofit will deliver cooked Thanksgiving meals to people experiencing homelessness and senior citizens. With more than 500 volunteers preparing for the effort, organizers said they're still in desperate need of more food and drivers.
"We need cash right away. We need to go to the stores and buy the items that we need," she said. "We need people who will come and be willing to drive the meals to the homeless camps, then distribute them."
Drivers can volunteer by going to Hosea Helps website. People can also donate by sending money to the nonprofits Cash App account at $HoseaHelps and those looking for help can also still pre-register for food.