DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond comes back to The Local Take to talk about the Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration in DeKalb County. The weekend includes a food distribution on Saturday, January 15th. Prayer and Restoration on Sunday, January 16th and Monday, January 17th distribution on 10,000 COVID19 Home test.
I ask Thurmond to update us on the COVID19 Pandemic. He speaks about the current stats that show a sharp increase in hospitalizations. Thurmond shares that we are not even at the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
We speak about vaccinations. DeKalb County has vaccinated over 10,000 citizens through financial incentives in the last few months, above the state average but below the national average. Roughly 54% of the county is vaccinated. DeKalb County employees are at 60% due partly to an incentive to get the COVID19 and flu vaccinations.
I mention the supply chain nightmare that is leaving grocery store shelves empty. I ask if the county food distribution program has the same challenges. Thurmond says that because they are buying food directly from Georgia farmers, they will provide recipients with fresh fruit, eggs, and protein at six churches in the DeKalb Community.
The entire nation has the challenge of obtaining COVID19 at-home test kits. Thurmond shares that the county’s COVID19 test distribution will be first-come-first-serve; each person will be provided one test.
Saturday’s food distribution will take place at:
- Rehoboth Baptist Church (2997 Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker)
- Shy Temple CME Church (2030 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur)
- Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church (3800 Big Miller Grove Way in Stonecrest)
- Berean Christian Church (2201 Young Road in Stone Mountain)
- The Covenant Church (1700 Corey Blvd. in Decatur)
- and New Life Church (3592 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur).
Monday’s COVID19 Home Test distribution will take place at:
- The Gallery at South DeKalb (2801 Candler Road in Decatur),
- North DeKalb Mall (2050 Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur) and
- Plaza Fiesta (4166 Buford Highway in Atlanta).
The DeKalb NAACP MLK Day parade has been converted into a virtual event due to expected Winter weather in the Atlanta area. That event begins Monday morning at 11:30am. For more information including registration to the virtual event, click here.
For more information about DeKalb County