December 3, 2020
Atlanta Technical College Food Drive goes off without a hitch. More than 400 Food Boxes Distributed in the first 45 minutes
Atlanta Technical College (ATC) partnered with one of its graduates and local partners to give more than 400 families something to be thankful for this holiday season. On Tuesday, Nov. 24, ATC alum Chef Darrell “Das” Smith prepared complimentary hand-cooked hot meals for the drive-through food distribution effort. The college, in partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Publix, also provided participants with free prepackaged food boxes at the Hank Aaron Academic Complex located at 1560 Metropolitan Parkway SW in Atlanta.
“Families across the nation have been impacted by the pandemic in different ways which have manifested not only as a health crisis but a financial crisis as well, and the need could be greater than we ever anticipated,” said ATC President Dr. Victoria Seals. “Our staff, volunteers, and partners did an amazing job serving our community. We quickly distributed more than 400 food boxes in under 45 minutes.”
Smith, whose culinary career has taken him from working as the personal chef for Sean “Diddy” Combs and serving former First Lady Michelle Obama, was honored to spearhead the holiday event. “It was an awesome feeling to physically touch so many lives today,” said Smith. “With so many families in need this holiday and having to celebrate the day in a different way due to the pandemic, I wanted to pair my care for the community with my love for cooking to make this a Thanksgiving worth celebrating.”
Smith’s talents eventually landed him in coveted cooking competitions, including the “Next Food Network Star” and “The Great Food Truck Race.” He also serves as a recurring expert on the Oprah Winfrey Network’s popular series, “Home Made Simple.”
More than 50 volunteers were on site to support the free food distribution effort. All CDC guidelines for safety and social distancing were followed. For more information about Atlanta Technical College, visit www.AtlantaTech.edu.
