November 16, 2022

This past Saturday you would have thought we had tickets on sale for the Super Bowl. Many of our neighbors were in line on the campus before 6:00 a.m. It was another record-breaking day at the Center of Hope, as we welcomed 122 Households, representing 430 individuals, and 14 new clients. Ahhhh.... as neighbors entered the building, Chef Martha was busy toasting bread for our neighbors to sample topped with eggs or jelly, cinnamon, etc. all items from our pantry.

On Monday, several students from VERITAS Christian Academy arrived after school to deliver Thanksgiving cards they had made for our neighbors. They enjoyed a tour of the pantry and were delighted to see that most of the diapers they had donated from a Diaper Drive, had been distributed. We welcomed a couple on Tuesday, Stephen and Peggy from Vermont. They jumped right in to assist with the 5,000+ pound delivery from Manna. Many of our regular volunteers are scurrying about this week, picking up the additional items we will need for the Thanksgiving meal we provide. Neighbors will have their regular shopping on Saturday too.

We received donated items from Bimbos, City Bakery, Wal-Mart, Bright Farms, Flavor-First, and MilCo. Friday, our volunteers stocked the shelves with purchased items from MANNA, Sav-Mor, and Ingles. Shopping locally we purchased items from JMJ Tomato Co (potatoes, onions, carrots) and Sav-Mor (canned goods, milk, and eggs).

If you would like to participate in the Food Pantry Advent Calendar Challenge, you stop by the Calvary Church Office or foyer at the Pantry and pick up a calendar, milk box or paper bag for your items. This Advent calendar is a food drive for the Pantry.

On behalf of the executive committee, thank you to our volunteers and our area churches, civic groups, local merchants, and families for all you do to feed our community helping to reduce food insecurity.

Kathy Noyes