Citizen of the Week: Tone’ Eberhart

Congratulations to Citizen of the Week: Tone’ Eberhart!

In a moment of national uncertainty and personal conviction, Tone’ Eberhart—pastor, father, and baker—took to his kitchen to fight food insecurity, one loaf at a time.

Just weeks ago, Tone’ was lying in bed reading about the potential shutdown of SNAP benefits and the impact it could have on struggling families. He remembered his own childhood—growing up on food stamps—and felt a deep urgency to act.

“I was reading all these articles… and I just felt bad, because there’s so many people out there who need,” he said. “So I’m praying, I’m sitting in bed, I’m praying—what do I do? And I came upon it: You have the heart to help people. You have the ability to bake.”

That realization led him to pause paid orders from Scarlett’s Crumb, his home-based cottage bakery named after his two-year-old daughter. Instead, he put out a call: anyone in need could get bread for free.

“I said until my resources ran out, I’m baking for free. I don’t care if you are furloughed, if you don’t receive benefits, or if you just need help for the day. Let me know. I will bake you some bread.”

The response was overwhelming. What started as a few loaves quickly grew—5, then 10, then 20. Tone’ lost count at 60. Requests poured in from TikTok followers and local families alike. He was delivering loaves of bread one family at a time. He knew he needed a more sustainable system.

Tone’ put out a call for help on social media. That’s when the owner of Reel Market House in Fayetteville reached out, offering him a weekly pop-up space. Now, every Friday from 1–5:30 p.m. at least until the government shutdown ends, Eberhart sets up shop and hands out free sourdough to anyone who needs it. No questions asked.

All this is on top of his full-time work as pastor of Union Christian Church in South Fulton. Between baking, preaching, and celebrating his wife’s, Rebekah’s birthday, Tone’ plans to start the cycle all over again each week. Because the need hasn’t stopped—and neither will he.

Tone’ Eberhart is thinking about how he can make his ministry of loaves sustainable, and make bread available again for those who can afford it at the same time. In the meantime, he bakes for free.

“Food insecurity is real, and it doesn’t care about your ZIP code,” he said. “This is something I can control. And if I can help—even just a little—I will.”

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, you can connect with Tone’ on Facebook at Scarlett’s Crumb Bakery.

Do you know a Citizen like Tone’? We’d love for you to nominate them for a future Citizen of the Week.

Anyone in Fayette or Coweta County can nominate a local resident to be featured. Submissions must include between 100 and 500 words explaining why your nominee deserves the spotlight and a photo of them. (Submissions without a photo cannot be accepted.) Fill out the nomination form here:

👉 https://thecitizen.com/nominate-a-citizen-of-the-week/

Each week, one honoree is celebrated in The Citizen, giving us all a chance to recognize the people who enrich our community with their character and care.

The Citizen of the Week is proudly sponsored by City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta, a national leader in cancer research and treatment. With expertise across all cancer types and a commitment to whole-person care, City of Hope honors those who strengthen our communities through service, compassion, and resilience.

Learn more at https://cityofhope.org/atlanta.