Good News At Noon ready for Deal volunteer initiative

GAINESVILLE - Good News at Noon will be one of the featured volunteer services for Governor-elect Nathan Deal's "With A Servant's Heart" program in January.<br /> <br /> The director of the Gainesville center, Edward Grant, says the main focus during Saturday's program will be organizing the food pantry.<br /> <br /> "As people see what we do, our hope and prayer is God will move on their hearts to take a part in the ministry," said Grant.<br /> <br /> Good News at Noon is best known for providing food and bedspace for the homeless and less fortunate throughout the year, but Grant said it's much more than that. He said it is more than a dinner ministry, more than a food pantry, more than a distribution center, more than a shelter, more than a youth center and more than a worship center. Grant says the center is all of those things, but he sums it up as being a community center.<br /> <br /> "We distribute whatever God sends to us to those that have a need for it."<br /> <br /> As far as "With A Servant's Heart" on January 8, Grant said they already have plenty of volunteers for the day to prepare meals and bag bulk, such as beans and rice.<br /> <br /> "We're excited about it," said Grant. "There is a great need in the Gainesville-Hall County area for reaching out to the disadvantaged, and we try as best we can to meet their needs."<br /> <br /> <I>(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first iN a series of reports this week profiling some of the non-profit agencies tapped to participate in "With A Servant's Heart.")<I>