Burton’s annual tradition of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches took on a new twist this year and The Burton Sandwich Shoppe relocated with a different menu, to help feed the homeless! After reaching out to various organizations, we realized that the need for sandwiches has shifted to a meat preference and away from the staple of peanut butter. The Burton team gathered at a new location, Holy Cross Catholic Church, who graciously donated the use of their Parish Hall and kitchen for sandwich assembly and packing. We set up two sandwich lines to make turkey and cheese and ham and cheese sandwiches. The packing team then packed each sandwich into paper bags, with a bag of chips and condiments, and then packed them into numerous boxes for distribution. It was another team effort that resulted in about 3,000 sandwiches being made to deliver to three organizations that feed the homeless and those in need. We were able to load sandwiches into four trucks and SUVs to make the deliveries to the following organizations around Atlanta:
- 600 sandwiches were delivered to Gateway Center, a homeless center serving Metro Atlanta. Each year, Gateway Center’s residential programs “provide housing to more than 1,000 clients who can also receive additional services that focus on our Five Keys to Success: Housing Placement & Stability, Job Skills Training & Placement, Family & Community Engagement, Health & Wellness, and Adult & Financial Literacy.”
- 200 sandwiches were delivered to Covenant House of Georgia (CHGA), which serves Atlanta’s homeless youth. The CHGA is dedicated to helping youths that
are experiencing homelessness or escaping trafficking, by providing shelter and supportive services for a more hopeful future.
- The remaining sandwiches were delivered to open arms at The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, who distribute the sandwiches through various means. They have a Morning Sandwich Ministry that offers a sandwich and coffee each weekday morning for those in need. The Shrine also hosts the homeless from November 1st – March 31st, along with other numerous organizations and churches, that provide overnight assistance, a sack lunch and dinner for the homeless.
It is always a joy to see the team at Burton come together for a day and truly put the needs of others ahead of their own! Personally, this was my 10th year to be a part of Burton’s annual day of service, and my 9th year making sandwiches, and being a part of something that makes such a tremendous impact on our local community certainly puts me in the holiday spirit! We are grateful to Holy Cross for hosting us, blessed to have generous Managing Partners that want to give back to the community, and we look forward to continuing to support these various organizations that provide food, shelter, and supportive services to those in need.
