Huntington, W.Wa — For nearly 40 years, the Facing Hunger Foodbank has been working to end hunger in our community. They currently serve 17 counties throughout West Virginia, southeast Ohio and eastern Kentucky, and they consistently deliver more than 3 million pounds of food annually. With a logistical operation so efficient that they can turn every dollar donated into 9 meals delivered, Facing Hunger was perhaps a little more battle-tested than most when the events of 2020 started to ripple through our region.
Over the past year they’ve experienced a sudden 60% jump in the need for their services and their distribution list has been growing. But, as we do in Appalachia when hardship hits, neighbors stepped up to help.
John Short thinks of himself as a social person that likes to be around others. He’s retired now, but he’s lived in the Huntington area all his life and a big part of what he loves about it are the people. When the pandemic hit and we were all confined to our homes, John missed the casual connections he used to have with folks and he had a growing concern for his neighbors that were hit hardest by Covid. John was already looking for ways to put words into action when Facing Hunger posted on Facebook asking for volunteers.
He thought to himself, “I can do that!” John started volunteering in the warehouse and helping with mobile deliveries where he gets to see the direct impact of his efforts. When he heard Solar Holler was partnering with the foodbank this winter, he was delighted, “I love it!”
John is humble about the time he volunteers with the foodbank and he’s quick to point out that he is one of many, “I only go in about once a week, but it’s the best three or four hours that I spend the whole week – I really look forward to it. I believe that it takes a village and I wanted to do my part.”
We agree! Part of our mission at Solar Holler is to help rebuild our Appalachian economy and we believe we share a responsibility to give back to our community. When Covid hit, we went looking for meaningful ways to contribute and we didn’t have to search far! The Facing Hunger Foodbank is located just a few miles from our Huntington headquarters and with the sharp increase in demand for their services, it seemed more than fitting for us to do our part to help.
This winter, we’ve committed to donating $25, or 225 meals to Facing Hunger for every person that meets with us to learn about their solar options. Our goal is to donate $4,000 or 36,000 meals – but we’re eager to write a larger check!
For volunteers like John, it’s a small contribution of his time and an enjoyable departure from the perpetual scenery of his own house. To the foodbank, it’s a greatly appreciated donation of time and service.
Together, it ensures everyone in our communities has the food we need to feed our families.
Get in on the giving! Sit with us to learn about your solar options and we’ll donate 225 meals to Facing Hunger on your behalf!
Follow this link to make a donation directly to Facing Hunger Foodbank
