Groceries available for those in need of food assistance in Bath County

05-20-14 Bath grocery giveaway

By Bonnie Ralston

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is inviting all Bath County residents that are in need of food assistance to take advantage of upcoming events where the food bank is providing free groceries.  Jason Miller, the Director of Bath County Social Services, is helping to coordinate the events.

“Being in need is kind of relevant to the individual and situation,” says Miller.  “Someone could be in need this particular month and not in need the rest of the year.  Or they could be in constant need every month.  So for those that have a need, we want them to come and pick up the food.”

Two events are being held in Bath, one in Millboro and one in Hot Springs.  Along with receiving groceries, those who attend can get information and learn out about programs that are available from the social services representatives and extension agents that will be there.

“You do not have to be on any type of assistance such as SNAP, formerly food stamps, or Medicaid or Social Security or anything like that,” says Miller.  “It’s basically the individual’s in need and they want to take the time to come to get the food to help themselves out, they’re eligible.  And they’re a Bath County resident.”

Miller says his department is also in the planning process to expand on this idea a bit.

“To go along with this we’ve also kind of begun exploring the opportunity to have the Blue Ridge Area mobile food truck come to Bath County,” says Miller.  “Start off with maybe on a quarterly basis and see how that grows and, if we can, maybe move it to an every other month or possibly a monthly event.  The mobile food truck has more food options, is has perishable items such as meat and dairy, to give out to those individuals.  There is a cost associated with that.  We’re looking at raising funds privately to pay for the cost of the food.  The food on average runs about sixteen cents a pound.  The money that we would raise would go strictly for the purchase of the food through the food truck.”

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank events in Bath County that offer free groceries are scheduled for Thursday, May 22 from 4 to 6pm at the Millboro Fire Department and Thursday, May 29 from 4 to 6pm at the Hot Springs Fire Department.

For more information contact the Bath County Department of Social Services at 839-7271.

 

Story By

Bonnie Ralston

Bonnie Ralston is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens.

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