On Thursday, November 16, 2018, FEED THE CHILDREN, one of the largest international charities in the United States, will deliver a semi tractor-trailer full of food and essentials to help local children in need, thanks to the generosity of a local company, Teleperformance.  Each year, Teleperformance employees give into a fund, and every third year they arrange for FEED THE CHILDREN to bring food, water, and other life essentials to local families in poverty. 

Teleperformance staff and volunteers, along with ten AmeriCorps*VISTAs (Volunteers In Service to America) and United Way staff, will be on hand in the Teleperformance parking lot to help distribute over 20,000 pounds of food and essential hygiene items to 400 families with children, to include Veterans and military families, experiencing the effects of poverty in Richmond, Columbia and Burke Counties. 

United Way, sponsoring agency for the regional VISTA program, and ten VISTA members partnered with local nonprofit agencies to pre-identify and approve families in need of food assistance. Of this total, 50 families will be served from Burke County, a county in United Way’s service area that the U.S. Census Bureau has ranked No. 1 in the nation in child poverty.

Participating agencies include:

Action Ministries - Maxwell House Apartments

Augusta Partnership for Children

Augusta Warrior Project

Communities In Schools of Burke County

Columbia County Community Connections

Concerned Women

Downtown Cooperative Church Ministries

The Lydia Project

New Bethlehem Community Center

Safe Homes, Inc.

The Salvation Army

Senior Citizens Council

Wymberly House - Burke County

Hunger’s roots go deep and hurt kids every day.  In fact, more than 22 percent of Georgia’s children live in food insecure households. According to Georgia KIDS COUNT, the number of children living in poverty has reached more than 610,000.   “The goal of this community service project is to bring awareness to the community about childhood hunger while providing hope through giving food and other life essentials for families with children living in poverty. 

“We are so thankful to Teleperformance and their employees and FEED THE CHILDREN for helping to provide food and essentials to children and their families in the CSRA.  United Way and our VISTAs are eager to provide assistance in helping fight the battle of hunger,” said Angela Collins, United Way’s Community Impact Director.

AGENCIES INVOLVED:

Teleperformance  - The world’s leading provider of outsourced CRM and contract center services, has been serving companies around the world by developing and managing customer acquisition, customer care, technical support, and debt collection programs.  www.teleperformance.com

FEED THE CHILDREN – Since 1979, Feed the Children has consistently ranked as one of the largest international charities in the United States.  Their mission is providing hope and resources for those without life’s essentials.  www.feedthechildren.org

United Way of the CSRA – For over 80 years, United Way has played a key role in the Central Savannah River Area identifying, funding, and administering effective community programs.  Their mission is to unite people and mobilize community resources to create lasting changes that transform lives.  www.uwcsra.org

AmeriCorps*VISTA – PROJECT UNITE – (United Way of the CSRA – Intermediary Agency) -  In its eleventh year, United Way’s PROJECT UNITE continues to be a successful, regional, capacity building program with strong outcomes, helping to increase the impact of national service on community needs and fighting poverty throughout Richmond County.  www.americorps.org