After 10 years of service to hungry families in Georgia and South Carolina, Golden Harvest Board of Directors announces the upcoming departure of Executive Director Travis McNeal.

McNeal oversaw a period of great growth and development for Golden Harvest. In his decade of leadership, the Food Bank distributed 128.6 million meals to those in need across 30 counties and 14,000 square miles. During his tenure, a new Master’s Table Soup Kitchen was built in downtown Augusta, where 300 hot lunches are served every day to those in need. A new Faith Food Factory across the street from the Augusta office replaced a smaller facility. Golden Harvest’s volunteer force more than tripled in those years, fueled by new volunteer opportunities at these important new facilities. McNeal also launched the Healthy Plate initiative in 2017, which continues to put more nutritious food on more plates.

“It’s been a humbling experience to serve this great organization for over ten years.  My heart and soul have been enriched through experiencing the power and impact of togetherness. I have been blessed to witness friends, community partners, donors, volunteers and one of the best staff teams in this city focused on feeding the hungry and seeing life-change in our neighbors in need,” says McNeal. “May God continue to bless this mission, its new leader, and those whom it serves.”

McNeal will begin his leadership role at the Oliver Gospel Mission in Columbia, SC in January 2020.  Golden Harvest Board Chairman, Brian Ellefson, along with the leadership management team will continue to oversee food bank operations until a new Executive Director is brought on board.

“Thanks to the efforts of Travis, and all those supporting and partnering with the mission of Feeding Lives Together, Golden Harvest is a strong, organized, and financially sound alliance,” says Ellefson. “We will miss Travis, his vision, and leadership. On behalf of Golden Harvest Food Bank, its staff, and everyone this organization has impacted, we extend our sincere gratitude to Travis for his service and dedication. We wish him well in this new chapter of his life and pray God will continue to bless him through his leadership. Finding a replacement for Travis will be a challenge, however, we have a transition team in place and the search for a new Executive Director has begun.