America 250 initiative delivers 40K pounds of food to NC nonprofits

MORGANTON, N.C. — Two nonprofits in western North Carolina received 40,000 pounds of shelf-stable food to support families facing hunger across the area.

The food was donated through a joint effort by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and local organizations as part of America 250. The resources were divided between the Burke United Christian Ministries in Morganton and the Hunger and Health Coalition in Boone.

Channel 9’s Dave Faherty was there when the truck rolled in at the Morganton nonprofit Thursday morning.

The soup kitchen and food pantry at Burke United Christian Ministries has been serving the Morganton community for over 50 years. The truck full of beans, applesauce, spaghetti, milk and other canned foods will help the nonprofit continue their mission and help families, like Amber Wright’s, who were eating lunch down the hall.

“It helps a lot for people who are homeless or low income and people with children,” Wright said.

Members of the church said this is one of 250 trucks making these donations across the United States to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. They say a lot of the supplies came from the church’s donations and their warehouse in Salt Lake City.

“If you have an extra coat, share it. If you have extra meals, to give it,” Casey Proctor, with the church, said. “That’s what we do. We take what we have and share it with people who need it.”

Burke United Christian Ministries says 18,000 people in the county struggle with food insecurity. Much of the donations will end up in its pantry or kitchen and are needed right now.

“Now that food is much more expensive, it’s a lot more scarce,” Alice Horton, the nonprofit’s director, said. “People are fearful and are trying to make their resources stretch.”

Talia Michaux and Robin Watcaster said they both have struggled with homelessness and rely on the organization to get by. They say they are grateful for the church and its members.

“God bless them,” Watcaster said. “I mean, our life depends on it.”

The truck also made a stop in Boone, providing more pallets of food to the Hunger and Health Coalition there.

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