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10,000 meals handed out in one day
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Dominique Mack, community service director for Coastal Georgia Community Action Authority, talks with residents about CAAs service. Community Action had 5,000 meals ready to distribute to residents at Regency Apartments and another 5,000 for partnering organizations to distribute. - photo by Photo provided.

The Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority gave out 10,000 meals Wednesday afternoon to residents at Regency Apartments and through local organizations.

Coastal Georgia Community Action provides services to help low-income families become self-sufficient. It provides case management, job training and placement, rental assistance, education counseling and other services.

Wednesday, CAA set up a tent behind the Regency office with music to draw in residents.

The meals came from Feeding Children Everywhere, an organization that provides healthy meals to those in need.

Within 20 minutes staff distributed meals to 30 families, Coastal Georgia CAA community service director Dominique Mack said.

"Inside each bag is a bag of jambalaya mix, which you can add chicken, shrimp and sausage to. It is nonperishable and can last up to two years and there’s 12 servings in a bag," she said.

Bags also included information about agency’s services and the Early Head Start program, and a roundtrip bus pass on Liberty Transit.

"We hope to do more things like this in Hinesville," Mack said. "We’re always looking to partner with other organizations."

Earlier that morning, Chick-fil-A employees and eager customers waiting for the restaurant’s grand opening, assembled the bags of food and information.

The meals were sponsored by Chick-fil-A.

Five thousand bags were provided for Regency residents and the other 5,000 were given to partnering organizations and churches to disseminate.

CEO Tres Hamilton said the event is to help bring attention to families struggling with hunger.

"Our mission is to move families to self-sufficiency," Hamilton said. "This event is one way to bring awareness to homelessness and the service we provide. We provide a hand up, not a hand out."

People also had a chance to fill out a job application while getting their meal.

Lisa Wright, who heads CAA’s human resources department, said the organization currently has 12 vacancies over the nine counties it covers.

The agency also helps prepare clients for job interviews.

Hamilton thanked Feeding Children Everywhere and Chick-fil-A for their contributions.

The Coastal Georgia Area CAA’s Liberty County Community Service office is at 933 E.G. Miles Parkway, Hinesville. For more information call 912-876-6173.

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