Loving Food Resources

THE MISSION OF LOVING FOOD RESOURCES (LFR) IS TO PROVIDE FOOD, HEALTH, AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS TO PEOPLE IN 18 COUNTIES OF WNC WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS OR WHO ARE IN HOME HOSPICE CARE REGARDLESS OF DIAGNOSIS.

FROM JULY 1, 2022 TO JUNE 30, 2023, LOVING FOOD RESOURCES (LFR) CONTINUED TO FULFILL ITS MISSION OF PROVIDING FOOD, HEALTH AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS TO ITS CLIENTS. CLIENT NUMBERS REMAINED STEADY THANKS TO PARTNERSHIPS WITH WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT (WNCAP), WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES (WNCCHS), CARE PARTNERS HOSPICE, FOUR SEASONS HOSPICE, AND PERSONAL PHYSICIANS WHO HELPED LFR REACH MORE CLIENTS IN THE 18 COUNTIES OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER ONE-TIME EMERGENCY BOXES TO THOSE WITH FOOD INSECURITIES. UNQUESTIONABLY, LFR HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE LIVES OF MANY CLIENTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND FAMILIES DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

THE FOLLOWING ARE STATISTICS THAT REPRESENT THE IMPACT LFR HAD IN THE COMMUNITY - DURING THIS PERIOD, LFR RECORDED 3,175 CLIENT VISITS -86.4 TONS OF FOOD WAS DISTRIBUTED. -LFR ALSO PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL 17.6 TONS OF FRESH PRODUCE -127 EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES WERE DISTRIBUTED -4,000 POUNDS OF PET FOOD WAS GIVEN TO CLIENTS -THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP) DISTRIBUTED 8.7 TONS OF FOOD -TOTAL FOOD DISTRIBUTED WAS 95.1 TONS, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO NINE (9) TRACTOR TRAILER LOADS

ADDITIONALLY: -THE STREET PANTRY RECEIVED 2,080 VISITS -THE COMMUNITY MEAL SERVED 2,536 PEOPLE -WITH GRANTS FROM THE LAST TWO YEARS, LFR WAS ABLE TO UPGRADE THE HVAC SYSTEM AND PURCHASE A 2023 FORD BOX TRUCK. IN 2022, THE LFR BOX TRUCK BECAME UNUSABLE. WE PURCHASED AN INTERIM BOX TRUCK WHICH ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO TRANSPORT LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOOD. THREE GRANT AWARDS ALLOWED US TO PURCHASE A MUCH-NEEDED NEW BOX TRUCK. ALSO, THE LFR HVAC SYSTEM WAS BASICALLY NON-FUNCTIONAL MAKING IT MOST UNCOMFORTABLE FOR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF TO WORK DURING THE SUMMER AND WINTER. A BUNCOMBE COUNTY GRANT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL A NEW HVAC SYSTEM, WHICH REDUCED OUR NATURAL GAS BILL BY 74%. DURING THIS PERIOD, LFR CONTINUED TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BY SERVING FREE MEALS EACH THURSDAY. IN COLLABORATION WITH KENILWORTH PRESBYERIAN CHURCH, AND THE FOOD CONNECTION, THIS YEAR LFR SERVED 2,356 PEOPLE. THE GOAL OF THE FOOD CONNECTION IS TO EASE HUNGER, REDUCE WASTE, AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL FOOD INDUSTRY BY REDISTRIBUTING FOOD FROM LOCAL CHEFS TO SERVE THOSE IN NEED.