Third Thursday Business Builder, October 2023

Join the Augusta Metro Chamber as we discuss how to give back to our community. We will be joined by Doressa Hawes from Golden Harvest, Kimberlee Beall Bugher from Project Refresh, and Derek Dugan from The Salvation Army, for a panel discussion on volunteering and what you and your business can do year round to give back.

Golden Harvest

Founded in 1982, Golden Harvest Food Bank works to create a safety net of partner agencies, programs, and direct services to meet the needs of our neighbors who struggle with hunger across our 25-county service area. With a network of over 350 partner agencies and programs, we can get nutritious meals directly into the hands of those in need through agencies embedded in their communities.

We believe that everyone in our community should have enough nutritious food to live a happy, healthy life. We strive to increase access to healthy food and foster long-term stability for neighbors in need with the help of our donors, partners, and volunteers.

Project Refresh

Founded in July 2020, Project Refresh began when a group of women had the goal of creating a tangible  expression of dignity for those in our community who call the streets home. Realizing that there were  limited shower resources in our city, we followed the leadership of similar, successful organizations across the country to bring mobile showers to our homeless. Project Refresh believes that access to a refreshing shower and hygiene is a basic human right no one  should be denied. We provide showers, hygiene products, and clean clothing in an effort to improve quality of life and the  ability to ultimately transition through homelessness. 

The Salvation Army of Augusta

The Salvation Army of Augusta – Area Command began its operations in 1891 and serves the CSRA and its surrounding counties. The Salvation Army in Augusta currently offers programs and services to include: homeless prevention and family emergency services including Rent & Utility Assistance and Clothing Vouchers, a Men’s Emergency Shelter, a Women’s Emergency Shelter, and the only Family Emergency Shelter in Augusta that averages over 100 residents every night.  In addition, The Center of Hope houses a Soup Kitchen that provides dinner every night to the community and breakfast to shelter residents.  In addition, The Salvation Army has a Skills Training Program and through the Kroc Center has provided over 1,000 scholarships to the community in 2023 for recreation, music and art classes for all ages as well as Summer and Day camps.  The Salvation Army of Augusta also has three family stores that help to support our programs and services through income by providing clean, quality clothing to the working poor at discount prices and free clothes closet for our clients.