ATLANTA — Hundreds of families enjoyed a special Easter dinner thanks to Hosea Helps, a non-profit known for helping those in need, which donated more than 300 food boxes for Sunday dinner.
A long line of cars could be seen on Sunday for those waiting their turn to not only get the items they needed for an Easter dinner but enough food to last the week.
Desiree Simmons was one of the many metro Atlanta families who turned to the organization. She said she was grateful for the help.
“I’d be lost, I’m going to tell you because I don’t know where else to go,” Simmons stated. "I’m here because I am disabled, and I don’t receive any government services, and I’m on a fixed income, so Hosea helps me out pretty much a lot."
As part of its annual Easter giveaway, the nonprofit invited more than 300 families to come and get food boxes -- but this particular distribution was unique because it included special Easter baskets for the children.
Almelia Chapman with Hosea Helps said Easter is important to many people for various reasons, and the organization wanted to ensure that it was acknowledged.
"We felt it was just as important as any other event -- if not more. It’s also pulling families together because a lot of families do celebrate Easter like they celebrate Christmas,” Chapman said.
But Chapman said the need for this distribution goes beyond the Easter holiday, adding in recent months, the organization has seen an uptick in demand for those looking for help.
“The economy has hit a lot of people really hard, and people are in need, so they are coming to us more. We have more and more people that are needing food, that are needing rental assistance, that are needing utility assistance,” Chapman added.
For those like Simmons, having somewhere to turn when resources are limited has made a world of difference.
“If not being for Hosea Helps and the Lord above, I don’t know where we would get dinner from, at least not a good dinner,” Simmons said.