November 23, 2022

It's the "Nibble Before the Gobble"! Calvary Episcopal Church Food Pantry parking lot was filled with cars lining up in the wee hours of the morning. Our neighbors were eager to shop for food and pick up items for their Thanksgiving Dinner. Volunteers navigated through the parking lot carefully and positioned themselves at their stations to assist in the distribution. Much gratitude to our donors, area churches, and individuals who contributed funds or food items to ensure we were able to assist in helping to reduce food insecurity in our community. We served 177 households, representing 606 individuals, and welcomed 15 new neighbors.

As our neighbors waited for their turn to shop, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy interns offered COVID vaccines, blood pressure and sugar checks to our neighbors and volunteers. We appreciate Walgreens sponsoring this event. Other highlights of this past was the generous donation from Bethany Methodist Church of Fairview who provided blankets, hats, gloves, and warm jackets for many of our neighbors. Also the town of Fletcher had a successful Community Food Drive. Mayor, Preston Blakely transported food items that filled four shopping carts weighing over 300 pounds! This day was successful because of the volunteers who began arriving before six and were of infinite assistance until the last neighbor was served on Saturday. MANNA Food Bank provides a large amount of our food. Their Board of Directors offered to assist us this past Saturday. They "rolled up their sleeves" and joined right in shopping with neighbors, distributing items in the TEFAP room, assisting with carry out, and witnessing first hand their mission to involve , educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina.

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, 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.