July 12, 2023
One of the many bright spots this week was the number of families who came and volunteered at the pantry and garden last Thursday night. There was a massive amount of work needed in the garden from weeding, to watering, and harvesting. Five members of the Stay family joined us in the garden to harvest beets, squash, and cucumbers. As a note: every part of the beet was harvested. The red leaves were cut from the stems, leaves were rinsed off, and along with the beet offered to the neighbors on Saturday morning. Michael and his dad were pulling weeds along the long rows of green beans that are full of bean blooms. Friday morning the Cefalu family helped stock the shelves with food, arranged peppers and tomatoes in the flats, and sorted miscellaneous holiday items. What joy each of these families brought to us over the course of this week.
How grateful we were that a group of youth from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC chose to spend time with us on Tuesday in the garden! They were down on their hands and knees pulling those pesky weeds and on a lighter note planted about a dozen marigolds outside of the hoop house. After a tour of the pantry, they surprised us with three boxes of personal care items that will be distributed to our neighbors on Saturday.
Speaking of a sunny Saturday morning, neighbors arrived to find Chef Martha cooking savory greens and beans. Later in the morning the aroma of freshly fried bacon and scrambled eggs were offered to our neighbors along with a recipe. The 118 families representing 418 individuals and eight new families shopped in the pantry with volunteers. Just a reminder it takes at least 35 volunteers to open our doors each Saturday…so thank you for giving your time to help reduce food insecurity in our community.
City Bakery donated loaves of freshly baked bread. Other donated items were Flavor-First-tomatoes & peppers, Ingles-bread, Bimbos-snacks and bread, Wal-Mart and Big Lots-misc items and food, Project Dignity-feminine products, Humane Society- dog/cat food and MilkCo-milk. Nativity Lutheran, Fletcher Methodist, Calvary Episcopal, Tabernacle of Praise Churches and other anonymous donors contributed their time, food, and misc. items during the week.
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. We thank you and appreciate your food and monetary donations.
