To know that parents feel a sense of relief and that these bags let them be able to take care of their own children is really amazing.
She’s heard it straight from kids’ and parents’ mouths: New Path is making a difference.
Debby Hawkins retired in 2019 after 20 years as a kindergarten special needs paraprofessional. She’s passionate about helping kids succeed – and finding a way to do so after her career was a priority.
So when her home church Bethlehem Church announced a new program they were starting, Debby was all ears.
“I was in education for a long time, I taught Sunday school, and I’ve always been pointed towards children,” Debby said.
“When New Path started, I was still working full-time. I could contribute monetary donations, but once I retired, during New Path’s second year, I jumped right in as a volunteer – and the rest is history!”
Debby went from simply packing bags to serving as a Lead Volunteer serving as a point of contact with school counselors, helping with inventory, paperwork and more. She also has a unique perspective on New Path’s work, having directly interacted with kids who received its help.
“When I was working in the Barrow County school system, I saw kids with the food bags,” she said. “They’d be all excited and show me what they got and ask me to read the inspirational card that’s in each bag.
“To see that excitement, at first it’s sad. The food we give is good quality; it’s all name brands and everything. But it’s so sad to think that they’re getting excited over taking food home because there’s no food at home.
“But that was even more of an incentive for me to get involved with New Path.
“This way I can continue to help. I can continue to make sure that they’re not suffering for choices that they have no decision in. It’s not their fault they don’t have food on the table – and I’m not saying that it’s the parents, either. Life happens, especially during the pandemic. But this way, the kids are getting something to fill their belly – they need that to function, they need that security.”
As of August 2023, New Path served 16 Barrow County schools – roughly 430 children every week.
While their main focus is on school-aged kids, New Path also provides snack items for two Winder-based alternative education courses: Foothills, a GED program, and a Barrow County English literacy class.
As integrated as New Path has become in its area, it also has continued support from its starter church Bethlehem Church. The youth group from its 211 campus comes regularly to do packs on Wednesday nights. And a couple of interactions put Debby face to face with the reason she volunteers.
“One time, one of the boys helping pack bags came up to me and asked if he could tell me something,” Debby said. “I said yes, and he told me, ‘I used to get this bag, and my brother and sister got this bag too. Right after we moved here, my dad lost his job, and we didn’t have a lot of money.’
“He said, ‘The food is great, and it really was a big help. I don’t tell a lot of people, but this really was all we ate on the weekends.’
“Another day, I was delivering bags to one of the elementary schools, and a mom saw me. She was picking up her son and she said, ‘Oh, are you part of New Path?’ and I said, yes. She told me, ‘This is literally all my son eats on the weekends because my husband and I have both been out of work for a while, and we’re just scrimping along.’
“I asked her if he was her only child, and he was. Then I told her that if they ever needed an extra bag, they could just let the counselor know.
“It was nice to get that feedback from them both. And to have a parent say something – that was huge. To know they feel a sense of relief and that these bags let them be able to take care of their own children is really amazing.”
Another regular volunteer group comes from Lighthouse Enrichment Services – a special needs adult facility owned by a member of Bethlehem Church.
“Every Monday after our pack, they help with all of our trash. Some of them are even able to get in the line and help us pack, too!” she said. “We also have a group of them who come once a month and take food from us to put on the shelves as we unload it from a truck.
“It’s such a blessing to see them so excited. They’re so proud when they can carry boxes and bring things to us. Eventually, they know what shelf things go on. In the beginning, they were just really shy; they’d just come in and do their job. But now, a few of them walk around and have to just say hi to us before they get started which is so fun.
“It’s a reward for them, and it’s been so neat to see them over the years excited to come.”
Making it all happen takes time. Not to mention, with pandemic-driven supply chain issues still at play, getting what they need isn’t always easy.
“We used to get seven-ounce cans of soup, but that company completely stopped granting them during the pandemic. But then other things we weren’t supposed to be able to get, like bags of pretzels, we have gotten,” she said. “We take it very seriously that the kids are going to get good food; we want it fresh and high-quality. Or if someone is diabetic, we provide some extra crackers and juice boxes.”
New Path truly wants to make sure kids are taken care of. And partners and donors help make sure New Path has what it needs to do so.
“Lane’s BBQ supplies all of our drawstring food bags; they’ve also helped us get food when we needed it,” she said. “Other companies and the local Rotary Club make donations. Everything comes from grants and donations, and we feel very blessed.”
As Debby puts it, “Our work is worth every minute.”
Want to support New Path as a volunteer or donor? Learn more at newpath1010.org/how-to-helyr
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