Choosing Courage
May 2026
Surely, with all that is going on, well, … everywhere, I cannot be the only one that often feels overwhelmed, can I? I mean, I find myself worrying about our neighbors having what they need to survive and thrive, and about THCA having all we need to serve our neighbors through the long, hot summer.
But, this quote from Brene Brown resonates, that we can choose courage or we can choose comfort. And, when I remember that, my stress subsides –
When I see our neighbors, volunteers, staff, and supporters choosing courage.
*Our neighbors exhibit courage when they come to us, asking for help, keep going, even through hardship, and trust that brighter days are possible.
*Our volunteers show their courage by giving their whole hearts to others, showing up even when it is challenging, and making our neighbors feel welcomed and accepted and cared for.
*Our staff this past year, courageously launched and grew our mobile and food delivery programs, and now have stepped out in courage to spearhead another new program to ensure those who cannot always come to us, like the elderly, are still able to receive healthy food for their families.
*Our supporters choose courage when you all give so selflessly to THCA, caring when it would be easier not to care, and in so doing, claiming this is a community of compassion, where Neighbors Helping Neighbors is important.
Because you choose courage, and
our staff chooses courage, and
our volunteers choose courage, and
our neighbors choose courage,
some 750 families receive good, healthy food every week,
*Over 60 of those families – seniors and disabled persons –
have a box delivered
*About 20 of those families currently receive a box t
hrough our Toco2Go program – AND
*In addition to the 750 families each week, 200 or more families receive large amounts of healthy food through our monthly Mobile Food Pantry.
As part of choosing courage, we are working to find ways to make food more accessible to our neighbors, in the face of barriers of physical health, reduced transit access, and safety concerns of our neighbors.
Our newest way to do this is through our hybrid program, Toco2Go. It is not a delivery service to a home, nor is it a large-scale distribution of thousands of pounds of food. It is sharing boxes of food with about 20 families, working in conjunction with our partners as a site for the sharing that is closer to where our neighbors live or work, and at a more accessible time for our neighbors.
In order to develop this program, and to expand our DoorDash delivery programs and continue our monthly Mobile Food Pantries, we chose courage to hire a Program Manager as only our 3rd full-time staff person. Madeline is not new to THCA, having been an intern here 3 years ago, but upon her graduation, she chose courage by joining us to oversee and grow these programs and to work with volunteers.
Already, we have secured one site for Toco2Go that has been running for a little over a month. Our Sustaining Partner, Clairmont Presbyterian Church, hosts an afterschool program. Each week, we deliver 20 boxes to the families of that program, so they can pick up their children and their food at the same time. The families are so grateful for this opportunity for more accessible food they have asked to continue over the summer!
And, just to keep you in the loop, that is not the only staffing change we have experienced here at THCA. Our part-time Operations Coordinator, Ann, courageously chose to move forward with developing her own businesses as an organzer and real estate agent and we truly wish her the best. She did agree to help us with special events, so we will see her.
Again, not new to us, having been an intern 4 years ago and helping us out for a few months on an interim basis, Sabrina is now our Operations Coordinator. That means three of our 8 staff are graduates of Candler School of Theology. Including our part-time Operations Assistant, Dillon, four of our 8 staff are graduates of Emory University!
Juan Carlos continues as our full-time Operations Manager, Jacob and Cisco as our part-time Drivers, and Roger as our part-time Kitchen Cleaner. This is truly a very fine, smart, hard-working, and courageous staff here at THCA.
In addition to staff with courage to guide the programs, we know it will take courage from our volunteers to continue to serve our neighbors with their whole hearts and with great compassion and care.
And, we need you, our wonderful supporters, to choose courage so we can live into our mission of being Neighbors Helping Neighbors in new ways.
We will need funds to cover the DoorDash fees, the purchase of refrigerated box truck to transport large amounts of food safely, new equipment, new signage… That could overwhelm me, but over and over again, you all have proven that you are choosing courage.
We are so grateful that you have continued to choose courage, so that we can continue
to be Neighbors Helping Neighbors, making food – and hope and love and joy and, yes,
courage – more available until the day that food insecurity and hunger are no more, the
day when everyone has all they need.
Gratefully Encouraged,
Rev. Dr. Lisa Heilig
Executive Director
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month dedicated to fighting stigma, educating the public, and expanding access to care. It emphasizes that mental well-being is essential to overall health.
Food insecurity and mental health share a complex, two-way relationship.
Not knowing where your next meal will come from creates chronic stress that drives anxiety, depression, and emotional fatigue. Conversely, existing mental health struggles can make it difficult to secure and prepare consistent, nutritious food.
Making healthy food accessible to our neighbors in need is one way that THCA is increasing mental health in our community.
If you ever wonder what food and supply items we need most at THCA, we keep an updated list on our website. Food items need to be unopened. But, canned or boxed items can be accepted up to 6 months past the “Best By”date. We can also accept unopened frozen food items.
This is especially important right now, as we have been informed that Food Bank inventory is low and will remain so all summer. We, of course, are grateful for support from our individual supporters.
But, if you are part of faith community, workplace, neighborhood, civic organization, or business that would like to help with a drive, please click the SOS: Stock Our Shelves picture or this link for a way for your group to respond to this need.
Our community has always supported us, choosing courage to be a community of care, ensuring our neighbors have access to food.
Copyright © 2026 Toco Hills Community Alliance, All rights reserved.
Our physical address is:
1790 Lavista Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
Our mailing address is:
2897 North Druid Hills Rd., #11
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