- Quola Community Soup Kitchen has added services such as adult education, employment, adult education, mental health, and more.
- Quora has served more than 10,000 meals since opening last December.
- Watch the video to see how these services have made a difference in people's lives.
Broadcast transcript
It's a project several months in the making to help Valdosta's most vulnerable neighborhoods.
“I decided to stop and recover. Money means nothing when you get sick.”
I'm Maria Thomas, Valdosta's neighborhood reporter.
I check out soup kitchens that do more than just feed people in need.
Linwood Sloan has lived in Valdosta for 15 years.
He's a painter, but there's one thing that gets in the way of his passion. It's an addiction.
“I went through Legacy… They sent me to Moultrie's addiction clinic. I stayed there for a year.”
His road to recovery was long and arduous, but thanks to the efforts of Quora program director Erica Miller, he managed to find work and stability.
As a sign of his gratitude, he gave Quola's art to Legacy Behavioral Health.
“Why did you decide to gift this painting to the Quora Community Center?
Well, because I see her dedication to service and helping the poor and giving back to the community. ”
Linwood is one of the many neighborhoods helped by Quola's support.
Back in December, we told you that Valdosta's Original Soup Kitchen on Leila Ellis had closed due to the retirement of its original executives.
Quola quickly took off and has served over 10,000 people.
“Quora stands for Quality of Life Association, and we actually bring quality of life to the people who visit our soup kitchens.”
She told me that it doesn't end with hunger. That's why Quora partnered with local agencies to launch the Beyond the Bowl initiative to support our neighbors by:
- Goodwill towards job seekers
- 90 Pieces for Legacy Behavioral Health and Mental Health and Homelessness Prevention
- Wiregrass College for Adult Education
Although it's still in its infancy, Erica says she quickly noticed a difference from her regular customers.
“I’m so excited to see how everything you know blossoms and how we were able to use this historic building as a youth reuse community center.”
Quola is in full swing, providing jobs, housing, and mental health services to residents in 40 neighborhoods. I'm Maria Thomas, a reporter for ABC27 in Valdosta.
