A food bank is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes meals to those who have difficulty purchasing or acquiring enough food to avoid hunger. Currently, there are 9 food banks located within Greenbrier County, and with 18% of the county’s residents living below the poverty level, there is no shortage of friends and neighbors that could use a helping hand.
The Lewisburg-Fairlea food locker, located within the Old Stone Church, is just one example of the broad scope and need provided to our county’s residents. According to Dexter Taylor and Gloria Martin, the amount of food supplied and families needing assistance is staggering. During October 2012, the Lewisburg/Fairlea food locker distributed 147 bags of food to the Lewisburg Manor, Morgan Manor, and Tabor Towers. In addition to the delivery of food to these three local living communities, 73 families came to the church on a “walk-in” basis and picked up 118 bags of food.
Our local food banks struggle to keep their inventory fully stocked year in and year out. With a lack of federal funding, increased demand, and the heavy strain on supplies as a result from this summer’s Derecho storm, the food banks once again find themselves in a shortage.
Fortunate Finds, IGA Grocery Store, Serenity Now Outfitters, Bella Casa Ristorante, Stuart’s in Alderson, The Greenbrier Bowling Alley, and Jim’s Drive-In have volunteered to serve as drops for an LBSPY food drive to aid in replenishing the food bank in the Lewisburg/Fairlea area. Canned and non-perishable goods can be left at these locations up until December 19th. These items will then be picked up and delivered to the local food locker for distribution.
A few other organizations and businesses in the area, such as Greenbrier Episcopal School (GES) and the Irish Pub on Washington St., are also sponsoring and/or assisting in food drives to aid those in need. Regardless to which food drive you choose, please remember the less fortunate during this holiday season and beyond. Your contributions go a long way in preserving a resemblance of a normal way of life for those who are sometimes too ashamed to ask for help. Hard times can be bestowed upon any of us, at any given time. The hand you feed may one day be the hand that feeds you.
For more information on the LBSPY food drive, please contact: info@lbspy.com
For additional information on the Lewisburg/Fairlea food locker, please contact: Gloria Martin 304-645-7842
– Craig Miller
HASHTAGWV ART & ENTERTAINMENT Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Christina Entenmann-Edwards has been a WV resident since September 2008. She was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and is no stranger to hard work and the entrepreneurial spirit. In 2006, she graduated from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Connecticut), Cum Laude, with a B.A. in History. In 2010, she graduated with an M.B.A. from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia). In February 2012, Christina launched HashtagWV as the area’s first full-color, free arts and entertainment tabloid + online platform. Christina completed the Leadership West Virginia class of 2021, which is an innovative program that grows, engages, and mobilizes leaders to ignite a life passion to move West Virginia forward.