When the Need Arises, So Does Our Community: Gratitude, grit, and good food at NourishNC this week.
Steve McCrossan, Executive Director
It’s been a challenging week for many families across our community as uncertainty around SNAP benefits grows, but what we saw at NourishNC was amazing. Our community showed up big for local kids and families. Here’s a glimpse:
- An outpouring of calls and visits from worried families. But, for every one request for help, we received two calls from people wanting to help. This community is extraordinary. Want to help? Check out nourishnc.org
- Dozens of volunteers jumped in last-minute to support our emergency Market on Market that served 1105 kids from 597 families! They piled produce high, stocked shelves, sorted food drives, ran shopping carts, and greeted our families with big smiles.
- Families shopping together to choose the food that is best for them: babies in carriers and shopping carts, kids in Spider-Man shirts, parents in work uniforms and military fatigues, and neighbors carpooling to get here together.
- 1,300 backpacks (weekend food bags) filled and delivered by volunteers for our PreK–5 students.
- Truckloads of fresh food, dairy, meat, eggs, bread, and nonperishables purchased with your donations.
- Literal tons of food drive came in! Volunteers sorted 12 pallets of donations this week and they’re already in families’ hands. Keep them coming, we need them!
- A record-setting van load of Amazon wish list items delivered. Thank you!
- NHCS Superintendent Dr. Barnes and all school principals joined us to pack 800 Thanksgiving dinners!
- The NNC team stepping up and working long hours to meet the surge in demand.
- Lots of new families in the Market this week and SO MANY heartfelt thank you’s.
What we didn’t see but know is happening is families gathered around dinner tables, kids eating well, and parents feeling supported by this community’s generosity. THANK YOU!
