THE LEGACY CENTER Starts New Fall/Winter Drive-Thru Service This Thursday
Now that the weather has changed, the
Dumas REDI GoFresh Food Distribution takes on a new route back to the main location at THE LEGACY CENTER in
West Dumas at 501 West Bowles Street. The distribution is set for Thursday, October
29, 2020 at the regular time of 1pm. The new route allows residents in Dumas
and those who have been coming to Dumas from Watson, Star City, Gould, Mitchellville,
Winchester, Tillar, Reed, McGehee, Dermott, etc., to continue to be served. The
center has a pavilion/court that allows the 18-wheeler access to the back of
the campus to load-in the food and for the residents to drive-through and have
the food loaded in as done at our other location at ASC Property Management located
behind Mad Butcher. During inclement weather, ‘the crew workers’ will not have
to be in direct contact with precipitation/weather as they load in the food
items. This route will direct cars coming from east on Bowles to come
from south on Main from the industries. Thus, traffic will flow across the
tracks with assistance from traffic officers helping to keep the track open for
safe crossing. Once vehicles are loaded, they will continue west on Bowles and
turn right on Cherry.
Thousands of families in Dumas and
SEARK have been served fresh foods on a weekly basis during the past several
months by Dumas leaders with the REDI, Rural Economic Development Innovation initiative. This move will make it more comfortable to the crews that load-in the food. They will be out of the elements. Currently, resources to make improvements to include outdoor heaters and other necessities are appreciated.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the
leaders have not been paid, ‘but have paid out monies’ to keep the program
moving. Going out in harm’s way to be sure that the distribution of $500,000 in
food would not be turned away, the team has prevailed. As of October 15, over $325,000 (of the $500,000 total allocation) in
food service has already been distributed by THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas.
The West Dumas Community Family Life
Center (WDCFLC, now THE LEGACY CENTER) was one of 47
rural recipients that will receive technical assistance from 2020—2021 to
help create and implement long-term economic development plans. The College of
Aspiring Artists and ASC Property Management are the Backbone Partners who are
working to get funding beyond the submission of a Strategic Plan by the end of December.
Donations are needed to help with operations until funding is approved.
“This program has been awarded to us
based on our favor from God to go and meet with leaders across the state and the
country and we’ve invested over $100,000 from our personal accounts to pay for
operations to keep it going. We have brought the distribution to Dermott,
McGehee and Earle. Everyone always says,
we do not have any money. I say, neither do we. The only difference is most often
we are the only ones telling the truth. But, by the grace of God, He has
allowed us to see the need and not say no because we do not have the resources.
We are grateful to in kind donations, but we need funding. We’ve had to spend money that should be going
to our personal accounts and in addition, borrow money to pay for expenses and
stipends in hopes that resources from the city, state, etc., would be available
from some source to help us continue this meaningful outreach in Dumas and
SEARK just as it is going forth across the nation, stated Rev.
Hunt on behalf of the center and the Dumas REDI.
Last Thursday, October 22, 2020 McGehee,
Arkansas was the newest site to serve over 1200 families with over $35,000 of food
to include, produce, protein and dairy and partner with THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas and GoFresh USA. Mr. Bob Ware,
Vice-Chancellor for the UAM College of Technology was the leader designated for
the McGehee community.
For more on THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas and how you can donate/volunteer,
etc., please contact Rev.
Arthur L. Hunt, Jr., D.D., 870.623.8179, Annette Cowen at
870.382.5141, Linda Hunt Rogers at 870.501.0356 or visit www.thelegacycenterinwestdumas.org
No comments:
Post a Comment