Helping Hands Ending Hunger nonprofit has rescued 1 million pounds of food to feed youths in need

ALBANY – After about five years of active operation within Dougherty County schools, Helping Hands Ending Hunger Inc. has rescued 1 million pounds of leftover school food from being thrown away. 

The nonprofit alleviates childhood food insecurity and reduces school food waste. It does this by taking the food students would normally throw away after a meal and instead collecting it and giving it to families in need. Students place sealed food items on shelves and into freezers at the end of their meals. Retired educators Cathy Revell and Catherine Whitfield brought the organization to Dougherty County in 2018. It’s served 56,577 families and 813,669 meals. 

Excess food items have been delivered to 23 nonprofits in the Albany area to help others in need. 

“It’s unbelievable when you really think about a million pounds being items that are so small,” Revell said. “It’s like a cheese stick, a juice and a pack of chips … just the number of the amount of things that would be involved in a million pounds. It’s been quite the ride … and definitely been a blessing to many, many people.” 

The program has grown from one elementary school to 20 DCSS schools. The 2024-25 school year was the first year it expanded its outreach to high schools, serving both Dougherty and Monroe comprehensive high schools. 

Revell said the high schools have been a fabulous addition, and she said she hopes to get Westover Comprehensive High School on board as well. 

“The thing about all of the high school students is that they’ve really kind of grown up with Helping Hands because most of them were in elementary school when we started it,” she said. “So they’re used to it. They don’t want to throw the food away.” 

Since starting, the Dougherty County chapter has been able to help other Georgia counties start similar programs. Revell said some schools have even implemented a mobile pantry system.

Revell said the need for Helping Hands Ending Hunger has only grown. At the beginning of each school year, schools send out a letter for families to sign up for the program. 

“It’s first-come, first-served,” she said. “Every school has a waiting list because we can only serve as many families as the amount of food we collect. The need is just as great, if not greater, than it was after COVID.”

Revell said the nonprofit is always in need of donations to cover expenses, especially if they add new schools because that means new freezer equipment. Each year the nonprofit buys new food bags for students to take the food home in. 

The program is entirely funded by community businesses, churches, civic groups, local foundations and individuals. It’s supported weekly by community volunteers who deliver the excess food to the nonprofits and pack the bags on Fridays.

“I just hope to keep it up and running and collecting the food and keeping our volunteers going,” Revell said. “We feel like now we’ve gotten the program on a good run, and we just want to keep it going.”