Mobile pantries will distribute more food in Burke County

By: Staff Reports | news@morganton.com
Published: September 14, 2009

Valdese --

A gift from the Sara Lee Foundation will help Second Harvest Food Bank feed approximately 1,500 families in Burke County through five "mobile food pantries."
Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Evangelical Methodist Church, Shady Grove United Methodist Church, Icard First Baptist Church, Warlick's Baptist Church and Cornerstone Baptist Church will partner with Second Harvest to host the pantries.
Approximately 14 percent of Burke County's population lives at or below the federal poverty level. Included in that group are more than 5,000 children and senior citizens. Unemployment in Burke County nearly doubled over the past year, from 8.4 percent to 15 percent, throwing more people into desperate economic conditions.
The mobile pantry grant will provide almost 50,000 pounds of additional food.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina already provides more than 1.7 million pounds of food annually to agencies in Burke County. Throughout its 19-county area, the Second Harvest affiliate distributes more than 29 million pounds of food and essential grocery items to approximately 650 agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low-income daycare centers.
The Sara Lee Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sara Lee Corp. It is operated as a separate entity with its own board of directors. Through the foundation, Sara Lee has committed itself to strengthening and improving communities where Sara Lee has a presence.

Mobile pantries will distribute more food in Burke County

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