Blog
August 2024: The Latest from PORCH
- Prior to the team taking the pitch in Kenan Stadium on July 23 as part of the FC Series, The Celtic FC Foundation donated $10,000 to PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro! These funds will go far in our mission to fight hunger by mobilizing neighbors, building community, and providing fresh, healthy food. Celtic FC player Nicolas Kuhn joined for the presentation, along with our board vice chair Allanah Hines and Sofia Edelman, our volunteer and communications manager. Kühn scored two goals in the impressive 4-3 win over English Premier League champions, Manchester City. Check out this video from the Foundation!
- Jeanne Arnts has served as the Neighborhood Coordinator for the Falls of New Hope neighborhood since 2011! “It’s very rewarding to participate in a volunteer activity that engages many members of your community,” she says. “There are people living here who I wouldn’t have known otherwise, were it not for my work with PORCH.” Jeanne is pictured with neighbors Elizabeth and Gus, who are big PORCH supporters. Read our feature on Jeanne on our blog.
- Food donations are lowest in summer months, just when families need additional food to feed children who are home on summer break. Without the schools’ free or reduced-cost breakfasts and lunches, our families struggle more in summer months to provide full, nutritious meals for their children. In June, we were short over 1,000 items for our distribution. We anticipate even larger collection shortages as the summer winds down. While our donations are at their lowest, the need in our community is at its highest. Currently, over 2,500 individuals (663 families) in Chapel Hill and Carrboro rely on our monthly Food for Families distributions, including 1,450 children. Can you help us fill the gap in donations with a financial gift? $30 can help us bridge the gap for 2 families. $60 will ensure full bags for 4 families. $100 means 7 families will receive all food categories for every summer food distribution. Donate at chapelhill.porchcommunities.org.
- Our amazing volunteers help unload non-perishables, sort them, bag them, transport them, and more! They also are instrumental during our distributions, loading fresh items and non-perishables into our participants’ cars. Want to get involved? Reach out to sofia@porchcommunities.org
- We are SHOUTING thank you to Wegmans and everyone who donated through their recent Fill the Bus campaign. Thanks to Wegmans shoppers, we received nearly $7,000 that will help us serve more families!
- Siblings Theo and Chloe Buchholtz founded Acts of Kindness – Chapel Hill to foster kindness. They have focused on raising funds and collecting goods for causes that support those who are unhoused as well as those facing food insecurity and mental health issues. Theo organized a 10-mile walk in June on the American Tobacco Trail and raised $3,000 in sponsorships in support of PORCH! He is pictured with our own Laura Malinchock and Erin Riney. As Theo says: “One step at a time, you and I can make a difference.” We appreciate the entire Buchholtz family for their support of PORCH over the years – their mom, Erika, is a Food for Schools sponsor through her real estate company. Plus, she’s a Neighborhood Coordinator!