Stephens Co. Charities Receive Donations from Southern Living Home Proceeds

Two local charities receive donations from proceeds brought in by the Southern Living Home at the Currahee Club.

Thursday, the Currahee Club and Dillard Jones Builders presented $10,000 checks to the Stephens County Neighbors4Neighbors program and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for its Food 2 Kids program.

The money was raised through admission fees paid by people to view the Southern Living Showcase Home built and opened last Fall and Winter at the Currahee Club in Stephens County.

Currahee Club Managing Director Andrew Ward said he feels the project was a success.

“It is heartwarming to be able to make such a difference to so many different people,” said Ward.  “It is not very often that we get the opportunity to give $20,000 away and be so excited in doing so.”

Meanwhile, Dillard-Jones Builders Owner Tom Dillard said he is pleased to see how many people will benefit from the project.

“It is amazing to me that what is not a tremendous amount of money can have such a big impact,” said Dillard.  “These charities are so well-deserving.”

Both charities said the money will help their efforts tremendously.

Pat Standard with Neighbors4Neighbors said the donation will help provide a lot of food to those who need it in Stephens County.

“Based on the numbers we are serving and the increases, this will probably stock our shelves for a good nine months,” said Standard.

Meanwhile, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia Community Relations Coordinator Dave Standard said this money will stay in Stephens County and allow them to add 39 children to the Food 2 Kids program, providing them food over the weekend to ensure they do not go hungry.

“We think that it can change their lives,” said Standard.  “If they do not get food over the weekend, they come in to class on Monday and their only focus is hunger, not listening to the teacher.  If we can turn that around and provide an incremental increase in their learning time with their teachers, we hope that it can change their lives.”

Ward also thanked the city of Toccoa and Stephens County for all of the support they both provided during the time the Southern Living Home was open, as well as Dillard-Jones Builders for partnering with the Currahee Club on building the home.