As summer sets in across Habersham County, the divide between childhood experiences becomes clearer. While some children enjoy pool days, church camps, and tennis lessons, many others face long days without supervision, consistent meals, or safe spaces to play.
More than a quarter of Cornelia’s residents live below the poverty line. In neighboring Baldwin, that number climbs above 30%, according to the latest U.S. Census data. For families earning well below the state’s median income, the rising cost of food, rent, and transportation puts added strain on an already tough season.
“It’s improving, but poverty still exists here,” said a local nonprofit volunteer. “And in a town like Cornelia, it’s concentrated in ways people don’t often see unless they go looking.”
The summer gap
For many working families, summer break creates a childcare gap. With few affordable programs and no public transportation, many children are left to fill the long, hot days on their own. Some spend time in overcrowded apartments or trailer homes with little air conditioning. Others wander neighborhoods or wait for parents to return from work.
Food insecurity is a constant concern. Around 88% of schoolchildren in Habersham County qualify for free or reduced lunch. During the school year, these meals offer critical support. In summer, those options shrink.
To help address that need, Food 4 Kids, in partnership with Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham and the Habersham County School System, launched a summer meal and literacy program. Funded by the USDA, the program provides both hot meals and take-home food, along with books for children.
This year, the program runs from June 2 through July 17, with congregate meal service offered at Cornelia Elementary and the Tim Lee Boys & Girls Club. Grab-and-go sites include Habersham Central High School, Wilbanks Middle School, the Cornelia Library, Meadowbrook, and Whispering Woods Coin Laundry, among others.
At these sites, families often gather on foot, pushing strollers or shopping carts. After receiving meals, children can visit the Volunteers for Literacy table to pick out books. Each child gets five to keep.
“They really get five books each?” one mother asked, standing with her two sons. “Thank you.”
More than meals
Other local efforts are also working to give kids safe spaces and positive role models. The Tim Lee Boys & Girls Cluboffers structured programs, field trips, and mentoring. However, space is limited, and many families can’t get in.
In downtown Cornelia, the Cornelia Boxing Academy offers free boxing classes to kids, funded by the nearby Smash It! Rage Room. The gym serves as a place where young people from all backgrounds come together to train and build confidence.
For children living in older mobile homes or crowded apartments, options like these make a real difference. Volunteers, nonprofit leaders, and community groups are stepping up to fill gaps—but challenges remain.
Some children still go without lunch. Others go without books. And while programs like Food 4 Kids help ease the burden, the underlying need is vast.
Looking ahead
Cornelia’s poverty rate remains more than twice the national average. Transportation barriers, limited income, and a lack of affordable childcare continue to shape daily life for many families.
Efforts like the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) are beginning to address the longer-term issues, including housing stability. GICH, in partnership with the University of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, is helping Cornelia plan for more affordable housing based on community needs.
But progress is slow. And summer doesn’t wait.
For now, school buses filled with meals and books, community volunteers, and programs like the Boys & Girls Club remain vital lifelines. They may not reach every child, but for those they do, the impact is immediate and lasting.
In Cornelia, where poverty touches so many lives, even small acts of support can mean everything.
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