LaDonna Doleman serving community one meal at a time

Yahoo

25-04-2025

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Feeding the hungry is something LaDonna Doleman, who is the recipient of the Mary L. Jones Black Affirmation Award for the month of April, says she was born to do.
Doleman chats with WJBF about being grateful to have the opportunity to serve the community one meal at a time.
So, I've been doing hospitality for years, but I've been with Golden Harvest [Food Bank] for going on seven years now.My grandfather, back in the days, would go on holidays, and he would cook for the community. He would go out, and he would take a hog or whatever we had, and he would break it down and would cook it all night. Then, any and everybody on our block was able to come down and share that meal. So, it was just in my system, in my blood. So, when I came to Golden Harvest, I came as a chef but ended up as the manager. I just love serving people every day.
ALSO ON WJBF: Theron Cartwright learning Augusta history while creating historical artwork | March CBE365 Affirmation Award Winner Yes, on a daily basis, we serve up to 200 to 300 people daily. For the month of March, we did a total of 5,142 trays.So, a typical day starts off early in the morning. We get there and open up the building. We have our first sets of volunteers that come in at 8:30, so those volunteers will come in at 8:30, and they will have the set up. They will prepare the meal for the day. For example, when we have spaghetti, they will come in, they'll cut the bread up, they'll do the salad and what not and will get the fruit and stuff prepared. Then, from 10:30 to 12:30, we have another group of volunteers to come in, and then they will help us serve. So, then we will open up our doors at 11:00, and then we will serve all the way to 12.It's important. God wants us to be cheerful givers and great neighbors, and Downtown Augusta is a desert food area. There is no grocery store downtown. MCG brought that parking lot, and so food right now is a big issue. Hunger is a big issue. So, to be able to get up every day, to be able to serve my community in a way that is safe and nutritious, I love it.
ALSO ON WJBF: Xtreme Hip Hop instructor Brittany Jenkins bringing awareness to autism with stepping So, all they have to do is just go to goldenharvest.org, click on volunteer experience, and then after that, they can find whatever buildings that they want to. We have other buildings also: the produce center, my building, which is the Master's Table Soup Kitchen, and we have a building in Aiken that you can also go and work at. They just select your days and select your hours that you would like to come, and they come.Personally, I am grateful that I'm able to do it every day. Some people don't get to serve people on an everyday basis, but for me, every day, I get to change someone's life every day. We are out to just help any and everyone that we can.
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