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From InTouch Magazine Spring 2017 Issue

Southern Refreshment Services Helps Storm Victims

Georgia’s Albany-Dougherty County was hit with horrific storms including tornadoes and hurricane-level winds in January. The county had already issued a state of emergency earlier in the month, when the area was hit for the second time in four weeks with ravaging tornados.

Southern Refreshment Services, based in Tucker, GA, wanted to help storm victims. Chris Hart, Scott Plaisted, Jeff Parks and other members of the company’s leadership team worked to identify supplies needed and how to get them to the most severely affected areas in the fastest way possible.

“While our company doesn’t have direct ties in the county, having friends and family there, and given our role in providing food and beverages to consumers, we felt it was our duty to respond and help in any way that we could. So, we did what we do best,” said Chris Hart, Director of Micro Markets.

“The Georgia Chamber of Commerce sent word that they were in need of water and since we are in the business of refreshments, water was something we could get to them quickly,” he continued. Hart coordinated with colleague Collin Hughes to work with suppliers and have two pallets of water delivered to the volunteer center set up at the Albany Chamber of Commerce.

The company also wanted to send something a little more personal to storm victims, so team member Rebecca Vinson reached out to the Albany House of Prayer, which works closely with county residents. She learned storm victims were in dire need of diapers, wipes, and formula for infants and toddlers. The company purchased a number of these additional supplies and got them into the hands of victims within days.