Keri Carpenter

Hall County Advisory Council Member

Do you love celebrating your birthday? 🎂

There’s something special about going to dinner, gathering with family and friends, eating cake, and being celebrated on your special day. But many of the children we serve through Backpack Love don’t get to experience even a small birthday cake because their families are facing critical food insecurity.

When you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, there simply isn’t an option to spend money on cake ingredients or birthday decorations.

One of the blessings of being a Backpack Love recipient is receiving a Birthday Package at no cost, delivered right to their home. Each child receives a cake, party decorations, tableware, and a small gift. 🎈🎁

I have the honor of delivering approximately 60–80 birthday packages each year, and honestly, the blessing is ALL mine.

I usually make these deliveries on Saturday mornings, so many of the children are home when I arrive. One Saturday, I was delayed in traffic on my way to a delivery, so I texted the family to let them know I was running late. It was actually the little girl whose birthday it was who responded to my texts. She wanted minute-by-minute updates! 😂

When I finally arrived at her house, she came running out and gave me the biggest hug. She was absolutely thrilled that someone was celebrating HER birthday!

As I write this, I have the biggest smile on my face and so much joy in my heart remembering her adorable face as she took her present and cake in with her family. Never forget what a blessing you are to your Neighbors, but also what as blessing they are to you!



Congratulations to Sugar Hill Elementary, this year's winner of the Partner Agency Excellence Award! This award honors a partner that demonstrates excellence in serving their community, strengthening their partnership with the food bank, and finding new ways to make food more accessible for the neighbors they serve.

Over the past year, Sugar Hill Elementary increased the number of individuals they served by an incredible 246%. They also grew from distributing an average of 105 pounds of food each month to more than 3,394 pounds per month.

Sugar Hill embraced a client choice model, allowing parents to select the foods that best fit their family's needs. They didn't just do what was expected—they looked for every opportunity to expand their program and increase access to food.

They partnered with Georgia Mountain Food Bank, took advantage of resources available through our affiliate, Atlanta Community Food Bank, and eagerly joined the Enable Retail Program when the opportunity became available.

Sugar Hill Elementary and the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County have truly set that example. They are the mark of excellence, and we are honored to recognize them with this year's Georgia Mountain Food Bank Partner Agency Excellence Award.

Keep a lookout in your email for an announcement for the October GMFB grant application. Details for how to apply will be included.

We are happy to announce that beginning October 30th, we will be launching our new Inventory Ordering Form!

We believe this is a step in the right direction for everyone. The new form will help cut down on ordering errors and provide clearer product descriptions, along with pictures to use as a reference.

Feeling a little apprehensive about the change? No worries! We’ll offer opportunities to attend an online training, as well as provide written instructions and video instructions that you can refer back to whenever you need them.

Do you ever feel like sharing a comment with us? We truly value your feedback and would love to hear from you—feel free to leave your comment below.

Agency Anniversaries

Thank you for your partnership! You are AMAZING!

Covenant Connection Church - 8 Years with GMFB

Good Samaritan Food Bank - 21 years with GMFB

Liberty Baptist Church - 12 years with GMFB

SVDP - St. Michaels - 17 years with GMFB

ACFB Delivery Schedule for October