A Silver Lining

Covid. It affected so many aspects of our daily lives and communities. It was devastating for me to not only see so many of my very own friends and loved ones sick or fearful, but also watch and read as countless individuals who lived paycheck to paycheck lost their jobs and their ability to care for their families in the most basic way, by feeding them.

I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck and knew all too well the struggle some families would be going through, and it broke my heart. I looked for ways to help, but didn’t want to put myself at risk of infection by volunteering face to face. I was at a loss. And then I heard about The Sandwich Project…this amazing grassroots effort that responded to the needs of the food insecure in Atlanta by finding a way to help without having to be in a crowded soup kitchen or food pantry. And even better yet, it was a way that my young children could help too, something that meant a lot to me.

My family and I quickly got involved and made as many sandwiches as we could each week. It became a weekly family event where we would forget about work, school or the isolation we were in, and we would instead focus on others. We would play some music, create an assembly line and talk about the communities we were helping. It honestly became one of the best parts of our week. A Covid silver lining. It gave us a positive family-focused activity. An opportunity to educate our children on the realities of food insecurity and the importance of helping others. And it allowed us to do a great deal of good in a safe way.

As the pandemic slowed down, our efforts to make sandwiches did not. The Sandwich Project has been a blessing to our family and to so many people in need. Pandemic or not, there are so many people that suffer from food insecurity who always need the support of the community. We are grateful that The Sandwich Project has continued to grow and that we have been able to be a part of that growth.

If you have not yet volunteered, I urge you to jump right in. If making sandwiches isn’t your thing, The Sandwich Project has so many other ways to get involved. Reach out and find out how you can help! It truly is a rewarding project for all involved.