October 2022: The Latest from PORCH

– Kyla (pictured at left) works at Extraordinary Ventures but comes in early to help PORCH on our sort days. “I like it because I know I am providing for those who are in need in our community.” Thank you for all you do, Kyla! 

– Phil Travers and Stephanie Shipman, Neighborhood Coordinators in Falconbridge, have collected non-perishable food donations from their neighbors for 16 consecutive months! They are pictured below. Such dedication! All that PORCH does is made possible by our incredible Neighborhood Coordinators. 

– In September, we distributed food to 503 families (2,159 individuals, including 1,253 kids) in our fresh Food for Families program. Each family received 40 pounds of fresh produce, 2 dozen eggs, milk, a bag of non-perishable food, melons from Farmer Foodshare, a Transplanting Traditions produce bag for participants from the refugee community, menstrual products from Diaper Bank NC, and $60 grocery gift cards. An additional 141 bags of non-perishable goods were shared with 10 local food pantries. Thank you to our volunteers, donors, and partners – you’re a dream team! Together, we truly make a difference in our community.

– Did you know we have an advocacy program, Food for Thought? It raises awareness about food insecurity and strives to engage the community in grassroots, system solutions to address hunger. In just a few short minutes, you can join us by writing postcards to your elected officials, urging them to advocate for meaningful change. See our October messaging.

– Through PORCH Cooks, we offer recipes and nutrition information to our families each month. In September, we provided a stuffed bell pepper recipe. In October, we’ll feature a pizza recipe as well as a chili recipe. We want families to utilize all the fresh produce we provide. Offering recipes is key to that endeavor. They are also a fun way to engage children in the cooking process and create family conversations around healthy eating habits. We work with a dietitian, Katie Clarke, who helps create professional materials for us to share every month with our program participants. With accessibility in mind, we also translate them to Spanish. 

– Earlier this month, the Jester Group held a Community Shred Day and Food Drive, with non-perishable food donations going to PORCH. This food will make a huge difference in the lives of our neighbors – thank you to all who gave.

– How generous! UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School’s CARES program recently donated $2,000 to PORCH. Susan Romaine accepted the check on our behalf. We are grateful! 

– October marks the end of another great season with Transplanting Traditions! Thanks to their farmers from Burma, from May to October, we’re able to provide beautiful, traditional Asian items like sweet potato greens, lemon basil, bitter melon, roselle greens, and long beans to refugee families who are facing food insecurity.