TIFTON — The Tiftarea Community Food Bank started off 2018 by serving more than 80 people and families on their first day open.

The food bank opens at 11 a.m. the last three Fridays of each month.

The food bank is staffed entirely by volunteers.

One such volunteer, Gene Burns, said that he and his fellow volunteers often come to work at the food bank several times during the week.

He said that he picks up donations and brings them to the food bank and then starts bagging up food on Wednesdays. That way when the food bank opens on Fridays the clients are able to quickly pick up their food and leave, allowing the food bank to help more people.

The volunteers have the process down to a science.

Burns said that people began lining up at 8:30 a.m. despite the rain. He waits outside and gives out numbers on a first come, first served basis.

Clients are called into the small office in numerical order and, if they are new, given paperwork to fill out.

President Vicki Wilson-Martin and Vera Barney man the front counter and ensure the paperwork is completed and correct.

Each client can come once a month to pick up food. The volunteers have to make sure that they check off each person who comes through so they know who has come on which day.

After that, the bags that were packed on Wednesday are given out.

The volunteers try to put a variety of food items in the bags and make sure there are enough staples to last for a while.

The entire process for each person takes from five to 10 minutes.

The food bank has been operating in its current location, 409 West 17th Street, for three years. The organization has been active for at least 30 years, according to Burns.

Barney and Burns said that they get some food donations from Walmart, Save-A-Lot, the United Way and the schools, but a lot of the food they give out they end up having to purchase from Second Harvest in Albany.

Barney said the food bank is looking for community support for their efforts this year.

When asked what their primary need is, Barney said they really need volunteers to help.

“We need the volunteers first and then we’ll go from there,” she said. “Yes, we need to stop paying Second Harvest, so if we can get local donations, that would be great. But if it’s donated to us and we don’t have anyone to help us with it, it’s going to defeat the purpose.”

To contact food bank volunteers: Reach Vicki Wilson-Martin at 229-402-0388; Jimmy Burns at 229-520-8741; Gene Burns at 229-339-0015; or Vera Barney at 229-256-1997.

Update: This story has been updated with contact information for the Tiftarea Community Food Bank.

Follow Eve Guevara on Twitter @EveGuevaraTTG.