The Thanksgiving Feed: Serving Community in Gainesville-Hall County

In this episode, host Bruce Leyton sits down with Martha Randolph, local business owner and community organizer, and Angela Middleton, president of the North Georgia Black Business Alliance, at the historic Harper Smith House in Gainesville, Georgia — the only Black registered historic home in the Hall County area.

They discuss the Thanksgiving Feed, an annual tradition started 15 years ago that has grown from serving 250 people to over 2,000 meals each Thanksgiving Day. Martha and Angela share how the effort relies on a vast network of volunteers, corporate sponsors, and community groups — from the Omegas bringing their smokers to cook chicken all night, to Syfan Logistics donating cooler trailers, to longtime volunteers who return year after year knowing exactly what to do.

The conversation also covers the Women Without Walls initiative, the late Martha Zoller's role as a catalyst, and the faith-driven motivation behind Martha Randolph's commitment to serving her community. Along the way, they reflect on what it means to be "a drop in the bucket" — and how those drops, together, fill the whole.

Donate to Martha's Mustard Seed at https://ngcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=8326

For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gracechurchgainesville.org⁠/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction

00:40 - Harper-Smith House

01:27 - Giving Back

01:55 - Thanksgiving Feed

04:10 - Who is served?

06:24 - How do you do it?

08:32 - What motivates you?