Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson begins his annual sweet potato giveaway Thursday.
“Giving back to our neighborhoods is what the holiday season is all about,” Johnson said in a statement. “It’s a simple way to support families, uplift our community and celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving together.”
Johnson said a farmer friend encouraged him to give out sweet potatoes during his 2021 mayoral campaign. Since then he’s handed out nearly 40,000 bags of sweet potatoes — totaling more than 100,000 pounds — at some 15 events around Augusta-Richmond County, he said.
“Every family I know has sweet potato pies and yam casseroles,” he said. “So, we bring them up from South Georgia by the truckload, and it’s been a hit.”
The tubers will be available at three locations, starting with Johnson’s church, Good Shepherd Baptist, 1714 Olive Road, at 10 a.m. Thursday.
From 5-9 p.m. Friday, the sweet potatoes will be available at Johnson’s new headquarters, the Food Truck Family Friday site, 4104 Windsor Spring Road.
On Saturday, the bags will be given out from 10 a.m. to noon at Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church, 314 Sand Bar Ferry Road.
Each bag will contain a copy of Edna Mae’s sweet potato pie recipe.
