As 2021 drew to a close, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle was astounded by an amazing show of support from donors who came together to help create a hunger free community. The 2021 You are the Heart of the Our Community year-end campaign began with a $100,000 Holiday Match Challenge, funded by 4 Others Foundation and Oak Foundation. Michael Cunningham and Jane Whittendale increased the Match Challenge by $25,000. All told, more than $860,000 was raised in just two short months, thanks to 3,375 of the Food Shuttle’s generous community of donors.
These funds will help families throughout the Food Shuttle’s seven-county service area, who are struggling in today’s current economic crisis. One such family is that of Walkiria Castillo. Walkiria and her husband, Antonio, are raising four young daughters, solely on the income from Antonio’s restaurant job. Walkiria used to work, but the cost of childcare became too much for the family to cover. Once COVID-19 hit, Walkiria had to find new ways to feed her family and came across the Mobile Market schedule on Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s website. Walkiria found that she was able to prepare meals for her family for two to three weeks after each visit to the Mobile Market. What’s more, the volunteers treated her with dignity. Walkiria shares, “They do a great job. It makes a difference the way they treat you. The people who volunteer understand that people go to the Mobile Market because they need to go there.” Her family also received a Gardens For Everyone garden box and Antonio grows vegetables to supplement the family meals.
Another highlight of the holiday giving season that must be told is that of young Eric Vining. For the second year in a row, 12-year-old Eric sold Christmas luminarias in his Budleigh neighborhood in Central Raleigh, with the proceeds going to the Food Shuttle. This year, Eric refined his sales technique. “He's gone all high tech this year. QR codes, web ordering, spreadsheets...it's a great learning experience,” said his dad, Neil. Eric’s efforts paid off, and he brought a check for $2,185 to the Food Shuttle after the holiday. Proof, once again, that one is never too young to help create a hunger free community. Thanks, Eric!
