VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Due to the ongoing government shutdown, two events will be held in Valdosta to address mental health distress and food impact.

“So Let’s Talk Block Party,” will address suicide, grief and seasonal depression. The event will allow community education advocates and mental health professionals to address the impacts grief, suicide and seasonal depression can have on you and your family.

“People are scrambling on top of it already being the holidays,” JaTaryia Thomas, an organizer with the Mental Wealth Center, said. “People are scrambling, and the price of food as soared. They are having to make very tough decisions.”

The event will held Thursday, Nov. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Unity Park in downtown Valdosta. The event is sponsored by Prestige Preparatory School offering free hot food first come first served. There will also be a free grocery giveaway for 300 families from Second Harvest of South Georgia.

“When we were already having this discussion about mental health awareness and seasonal depression, it was like, ‘ok when we do this, we also need to feed these families because there are families that are hurting and need these resources.,’” Thomas added. “There are food giveaways, but its just never enough. Sometimes people have to work or cannot get in line that early, so it is always best to have multiple opportunities.”

For additional relief, Second Harvest of South Georgia will host an emergency food distribution on Saturday, Nov. 15, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Valdosta High School. The high school is located at 4590 Inner Perimeter Road.

Organizers say this will be first come, first serve.

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