In the concerted effort to provide relief to the hurricane-devastated Augusta, DeKalb County officials are stepping up to aid their Georgian neighbors. CEO Michael Thurmond and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will send a convoy called the Good Neighbor Express, loaded with 5,000 boxes of food and emergency supplies. These supplies are bound for Augusta today, aimed to help those affected by the recent Hurricane Helene.
In the wake of the ferocity of the storm, Augusta is receiving support from DeKalb, harnessing a mutual aid agreement the counties only recently put to paper. "DeKalb County is honored to support Mayor Johnson and our neighbors in Augusta who are struggling to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene," CEO Thurmond said, according to a statement from the county's website. Each package is carefully assembled with Georgia-grown produce and vital supplies to offer comfort to those in need.
Appreciation from Augusta's leadership came swiftly, with Mayor Garnett Johnson expressing immense gratitude for DeKalb County's gestures of goodwill. "We are grateful to DeKalb County which has, by their words and deeds, demonstrated that they are our good neighbors," Mayor Johnson remarked, as per the same source. "DeKalb’s generosity will never be forgotten."
The logistics of the delivery have been planned out. The Good Neighbor Express is set to directly visit several locations throughout Augusta to ensure that the supplies reach those most in need. These locations include Good Shepherd Baptist, Broadway Baptist, Everfaithful Baptist Church, and Faith Outreach Church. Each site stands ready to distribute the goodwill packaged within DeKalb's generous boxes, directly impacting residents grappling with the post-hurricane reality. The full list of distribution sites can be found on Augusta’s official website, with updates regarding the Hurricane Helene relief efforts available through the "Helene Updates" banner.
