When government benefits were delayed by the ongoing shutdown, one Cobb County woman decided to do something about it by feeding her neighbors herself.
Business owner Cheri Bailey says she knows exactly what it’s like to depend on food assistance. “Born and raised in public housing, we grew up on food stamps. Without food stamps, we probably would not have eaten,” Bailey said.
So when she learned that many in her community were struggling to buy groceries, she decided to step up. “I think all of us are waiting for organizations to do something, but I think that each one of us, if we step in and do things like this, nobody will go hungry,” Bailey said.
Bailey announced on social media that she planned to cook dinner for 300 people and invited anyone who needed a meal with no questions asked. Denise and Bryan Perry soon offered the Mableton Banquet Hall as the venue.
“I do outreach ministry at my church, so it’s near and dear to my heart,” said Denise Perry.
“Knowing a lot of recipients and know how they utilize these funds to take care of themselves, I definitely wanted to help all I could,” added Bryan Perry.
The free community dinner was held on Wednesday night, welcoming anyone who stopped by for a hot meal. “We don’t want your email address. This is not for marketing. This is not for hype. This is to feed people. I think it’s time for us to start taking care of each other. And if we do that, then the world will change,” Bailey said.
Bailey says this was just the beginning. She’s already planning more free community dinners in the coming weeks, adding, “When the system fails, love steps in.”
