March 15, 2023

What a "cool" week to be building a hoop house in the Lord's Acre of Fletcher. Moderate temps, a bit breezy, low humidity, and a group of energetic men equipped with tools in hand launched into this mammoth project. It's a bit like building a tunnel-dimensions must be exact. Levels, twine, and tools for inserting cyliners exactly 36 inches into the ground were placed strategically. The next day a frame was added and an "aha moment" could be heard echoing among the men. Our "neighbors" at the pantry will be receiving fresh produce grown in the garden and hoop house in the next few weeks. We will be able to offer significantly more produce thanks to this grant from the Community Foundation of Henderson County.

Friday, volunteers stocked the shelves, with locally purchased items. Saturday is distribution day from 8:00-11:00. We welcomed 121 families, representing 429 individuals, and greeted five new families. Again we thank you for your food and monetary donations. We are able to feed our neighbors 3 and 1/2 days of food or 11 meals. The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy interns volunteered on Saturday offering blood pressure and blood glucose checks for our neighbors and volunteers.

Panera Bread donated bread and rolls this week. City Bakery donated loaves of bread. Other donated items were from Bright Farms-lettuce, Ingles and Bimbos-bread, Wal-Mart and Big Lots, misc items, Flavor-First peppers and tomatoes, and MilCo-milk. Friday, our volunteers stocked the shelves with purchased items from MANNA and Sav-Mor (canned goods, milk, and eggs). Manna provided at no cost fresh produce including eggplant, sweet potatoes, peppers, cabbage, zucchini, apples, and yellow squash.

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.