What began during one of the most difficult times Jeff Davis County has faced has grown into a ministry that now helps feed as many as 125 families each week. This month, Good Ground Food Pantry & Resource Center is celebrating the first anniversary of opening its permanent location — a milestone that traces its roots back to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
In the days following the storm, Hazlehurst Church of God became a hub for relief efforts as widespread damage and extended power outages left families throughout the community struggling with basic needs. For 18 consecutive days, volunteers prepared and distributed hot meals to families, first responders, utility workers and others. Approximately 30,000 meals were served during that initial response.
But as the immediate effects of the hurricane began to fade, another reality became clear: the need for food assistance had not disappeared. That realization eventually led to the creation of Good Ground.
One year ago, Good Ground opened its permanent location at 75 S. Tallahassee Street. The building itself offers a fitting picture of the ministry’s transformation. Once used for many years as a service station, it has been given a new purpose — becoming a different kind of service station for the community. Since opening the building, Good Ground has provided more than 7,000 meals, with approximately 125 families receiving assistance during a typical week and sometimes even more.
The work is truly multigenerational. On distribution days, it isn’t unusual to find people young and old working side by side — shopping, packing bags, organizing food and loading groceries into vehicles. Pastor Bethany Anderson who serves as Good Ground Director alongside her husband, Pastor Hugh Anderson of Hazlehurst Church of God, said that story cannot be told without recognizing the people who have helped make the ministry possible. “There are people who have given financially, donated food, volunteered their time, loaded vehicles, packed boxes, prayed for this ministry and continued to show up week after week. We are deeply grateful. This first anniversary belongs to every person who has helped us serve our community.”
Good Ground’s work has expanded beyond its regular weekly food distributions. Through mobile food pantry events, the organization has been able to help more than 300 families at a time during some distributions. Good Ground and Hazlehurst Church of God have also held large Thanksgiving outreaches for the past two years, collectively providing Thanksgiving food to more than 1,000 families.
An important part of that growing outreach has been Good Ground’s relationship with Second Harvest of South Georgia, which has helped the organization obtain and distribute food on a much larger scale. Now that partnership is helping Good Ground expand again. A small grant through Second Harvest is helping Good Ground add a dedicated freezer room to its facility.
Cold-storage capacity has been one of the pantry’s biggest limitations. Once completed, the additional space will allow Good Ground to receive and store more frozen meat and other perishable foods, potentially increasing both the amount and variety of food available to local families.
While the physical expansion is important, Good Ground’s leaders say continued community involvement will be essential as the number of families needing assistance grows. The organization is seeking additional partnerships with businesses, churches, civic organizations and individuals. Assistance can include financial support, food or supply drives, equipment donations, sponsorships and volunteer service.
Volunteers are also needed to help unload deliveries, sort food, pack boxes, assist with distributions and serve families arriving at the pantry. Operations Managers Keith and Kay Stafford can help individuals, businesses and organizations interested in becoming involved.
For Anderson, Good Ground’s mission is about more than the groceries leaving the building each week. “Good Ground exists for the entire community, a reminder that we have the opportunity to sow into something that can change the livelihood of the families living here. JD is worth sowing into!”
Anderson said the ministry is also about reminding people experiencing difficult circumstances that they haven’t been forgotten. “We are not simply handing out food. We are reminding people that they are seen, they are valued and they are not facing hard seasons alone.” One year after opening its doors, perhaps that is the most important measure of Good Ground’s growth.
Hurricane Helene exposed an immediate need. The response that followed showed what could happen when churches, businesses, organizations, volunteers and neighbors worked together. What began as an emergency effort to feed a community after a storm has now become a permanent place of service.And one year later, Good Ground is still growing. Those interested in volunteering, partnering with or supporting Good Ground Food Pantry & Resource Center can contact the organization through Hazlehurst Church of God at 912-375-7774.
