In This Month's Update

• Executive Director's Message

•Our Current Pantry and Clothing Needs

IAM Thrift Store Celebrates One Year Open!

• IAM Mobile Pantry March Schedule

•Pantry Starts Neighbor Choice and Extended Hours

•St. Patrick's Day Food Drive

•Helping a Veteran Avoid Homelessness

•Current Volunteer Opportunities at IAM

Dear Friends,

Thank you for caring so much about our local neighbors in desperate need. Interfaith Assistance Ministry could literally not survive another day without your ongoing financial support. As a cup-half-full person, I wish I could share a brighter forecast for the rest of this year.

Unfortunately, more storm clouds are gathering overhead for the working poor, the retired poor and the disabled poor. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provided a second source of funding for food for residents who receive food stamps during the height of the pandemic ended in February. In North Carolina, residents who are eligible for SNAP receive monthly funds through an Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT card, to buy food at local grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

Over the last year, as we have all experienced the highest cost of food in 40 years on top of the soaring cost of living increases for rent, gasoline, utility bills and other basic expenses, federal and state initiatives to support residents still trying to recover from the impacts of COVID have ended. Families and individuals living at and beneath the federal poverty line have been receiving the extra funds for groceries since March 2020. Imagine how frightening and stressful it would be to not know how you could provide enough healthy food for your toddler and teenager – or yourself. Can you define trauma?

Thank you for helping IAM provide nutritious groceries to households 18,405 times in 2022; the highest number ever. Those groceries fed more than 67,000 individuals at least 809,904 meals. In Henderson County, conservative estimates show at least one in five residents is food insecure. These record numbers of food insecure affect growing children, working families who earn low wages and aging seniors living on fixed incomes. IAM is serving more Latino residents, including many who do not qualify for any assistance, with food and other crisis services.

To help tackle this growing wave of food insecurity, the IAM Mobile Market is bringing food once a week to the lowest-income zip codes of Henderson County in addition to our extended hours on Tuesdays. We pray that we will be able to help all that need food in the coming year.

No one wants to be hungry. Please consider donating to IAM today. Together we can be the helping hands and caring hearts that lift up our community.

Blessings,

IAM’s Thrift Store celebrated its first year in operation on March 1st with a Birthday Bash Celebration!

The store easily exceeded its sales goals for the first year and Thrift Store Manager Kathy Yaw says the public reaction to the store has been overwhelmingly positive. “It’s been a great first year,” says Kathy. “We’ve earned a lot of wonderful customers who come back to see us every week if not every day. Everyone is so friendly and they love knowing that their purchases help families in need.”

The Thrift Store is already known for its pleasant shopping experience, quality items at a great value, and very friendly staff.

IAM volunteer Cindy Thorpe adds, “When people arrive for the first time, they usually say ‘Wow!’ A lot of them tell us that it is now their favorite Thrift Store.”

The store is located at 119 Jack Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 to 5. Visit soon to see what all the excitement is about! You are also invited to sign-up for the Thrift Store’s weekly newsletter to keep up with all the great deals at www.iam-hc.org/thrift-store.

IAM’s Mobile Pantry has been in operation for just a few months but is already having a big impact in our community. In the first six weeks of 2023, 594 families with 2,515 individuals have received food from IAM’s mobile unit.

The mobile pantry significantly enhances IAM’s ability to reach communities in Henderson County that are most at risk for food insecurity. The food distributed is free and includes nutrient-dense food items including fresh produce, meat, and dairy products.

Pantry Offers Extended Hours and Neighbor Choice

As we continue to recover from the worst of the COVID pandemic, IAM’s pantry continues to refine and expand its programs and services to best assist residents of Henderson County facing the anguish of food insecurity for their family.

Starting in February, IAM is offering extended hours on Tuesdays—staying open until 5:30 to allow neighbors to get to our pantry after work or school. Extended hours also allow neighbors to pick out the food that is most appropriate for their family’s needs and tastes.

Our pantry has also instituted “Neighbor Choice” all five days of the week. This program allows neighbors to come into the pantry to select the food they prefer. Tom Stark, Food Assistance Manager, says that the new program will better meet the needs of our neighbors as well as cut down on the instances of food waste when the items given to a neighbor are not what they would have chosen for themselves.

Please join IAM for a special St. Patrick's Day Food Drive to collect fresh produce to share the "Luck of the Irish" with our neighbors in need.

All food is accepted, but this drive will focus on potatoes, greens, cabbage, rice, and oranges.

Pantry items can be dropped off at our crisis services facility located at 310 Freeman Street. Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

John is a disabled veteran who was forced to move from his apartment of 10 years when his landlord would not allow John’s service dog to live in the rental. Forced to find a new home, John found an apartment but his military disability funds were not enough to allow him to come up with the security deposit and the first month’s rent. John who suffers from seizures because of his sacrifices for our country was extremely stressed and worried that he, his high-school-aged daughter, and his fiancée who is attending college would end up homeless.

Desperate to find a solution, John came to IAM to inquire about assistance with the security deposit. He even offered to repay the money when he was able. Fortunately, IAM was able to help John and his family. They are now relocated safely in their new home. Best of all, we informed him that he would not have to repay IAM for the assistance. We suggested that he donate to IAM when his life stabilizes and he is in a position to help others facing similar crises.

Because of the generous compassion of IAM’s many donors, a veteran and his family did not become another statistic in the tragic story of so many homeless veterans who live among us. Thank you!

• $5,000 & up: Provide vital support for service programs: food, financial assistance with rent, utility bills and gasoline vouchers, clothing and linens, personal hygiene and cleaning items and more 
• $2,500: Purchase enough food to feed 100 adults and children for a week 
• $1,000: Provide the security deposit on a new apartment for a single mother struggling to keep her three young children safe, fed, and succeeding in school 
• $500: Pay an elderly veteran's utility bill to keep his lights on and the heat on when it’s freezing outside 
• $250: Purchase 25 cases of diapers for new mothers struggling to make ends meet 
• $100: Provide a “Back-to School” new clothing and shoes kit for three elementary students 
• $50: Provide bed linens for a family setting up their new apartment $25 Feed a neighbor in need for a week