A local organization devoted to feeding needy families in our community is set to eclipse a major milestone.
PORCH is an organization that has a singular mission and humble beginnings. According to co-founder Susan Romaine, they got started by simply asking neighbors for a helping hand.
“Would you be okay putting a few cans of tuna out on your porch?” Romaine asked. “We would be very happy to come by and collect that tuna from your porch, deliver it to the food pantry, and we’re just going to keep this as simple as possible.”
From that simple start, PORCH is now set to eclipse the $1 million-raised plateau with their next food collection in mid-December.
Co-founder Debbie Horwitz says that once they began collecting food, an eagerness to help developed within their network. “What we realized early on was that so many people were so grateful for the opportunity to give.”
She adds, “Everyone is very busy, and we need to find simple ways to give. PORCH provided that.”
Romaine adds that the number of families in need in our community can be staggering. “It’s estimated that 1-in-5 families in Chapel Hill-Carrboro are food insecure. They wake up certain times of the month not knowing where that breakfast or lunch is coming from that day.”
PORCH is able to be as helpful to the community as they are due to their status as an entirely volunteer organization, meaning nearly 100% of donations are turned into aid.
According to Romaine, “Cash supports the “Food For Families” program – which is the delivery of fresh foods to 250 families in the community identified by the school social workers as being especially at risk of hunger. The non-perishable foods support eight local food pantries.”
Romaine and Horwitz joined WCHL’s Aaron Keck on the air last week.
A celebration for eclipsing $1 million raised to fight hunger will be held during the monthly food sort, at St. Thomas More beginning at 9 o’clock the morning of December 15. Horwitz says Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle and Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt will be in attendance.
More information on how you can get involved helping PORCH fight hunger in our community is available at porchnc.org.
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