November 2, 2022

This past week before Halloween was all treats and no tricks! Monday began with a trunk load of items from Bethany Methodist Church of Fairview to help our new neighbors to the area through the winter with quilts, blankets, and coats. Tuesday baskets of food items from Lutheran Church of the Nativity, were waiting in the foyer to be weighed and shelved. We received over 5,000 pounds of food from Manna. Some of the items included were apples, zucchini, sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots, winter squash, Idaho potatoes, turkeys, and chicken. Wednesday and Thursday, we had a foyer packed with items from Wal-Mart and donors. Friday, our volunteers delivered purchased and donated items from Sav-Mor, Ingles, JMJ Tomato, MilCo, Dollar General, Bimbos, and City Bakery. Lauren from Carol L. King and Associates delivered items from a Food Drive they held for us. Debbie, a volunteer, submitted a grant to Thrivent for baby cereal and Boost and was awarded the grant. This grant will be of great assistance to our infants and elderly neighbors.

Aaaah a Saturday morning with Chef Martha, stirring at the hot plate. Our 107 neighbors, representing 373 individuals, and four new neighbors arrived to the aroma of beans and greens sizzling in the frying pan. Martha harvested the collard greens on Friday from The Lord's Acre, our garden, so they would be fresh for this delicious recipe for tasting. Great northern beans and collard greens were available for neighbors as they shopped.

Fletcher First Baptist Church donated food items. Bright Farms donated boxes of Harvest Crunch lettuce. Flavor-First donated tomatoes, jalapenos, and green peppers Shopping locally we purchased items from Ingles (canned goods and meat), Sav-Mor ( milk and eggs), MANNA, and JMJ Tomato Company (potatoes, onions).

If you would like to participate in the Pantry Advent Calendar Challenge, you can email me and I will send you the list or you stop by the Calvary Church Office or foyer at the Pantry and pick up a milk box or paper bag for your items. This Calendar is a food drive for the Pantry. A picture of the food list is included in our picture section.

Calvary Episcopal Church is having a Barbeque Dinner from 4-6 this Saturday. We have a four-story Barbie dollhouse to auction off during November and December. Tickets for the dollhouse auction are available at the pantry and at the Barbeque Dinner.

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