The Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation and Transurban Express Lanes Community Grant Program provide funds for fresh food purchases at local food pantry
Fredericksburg, Virginia (October 3, 2019) —Two generous grants from the Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation and the Transurban Express Lanes Community Grant Program ensure The Table at St. George’s will have necessary funds to purchase fresh produce. The Table at St. George’s is a market-style food pantry that provides fresh produce and pantry items to those in the Fredericksburg region experiencing food security. The Table gratefully acknowledges the valued support of these grants.
The Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region has provided financial support for the Table since 2013. Most recently, they have awarded The Table $15,000 in grant funding. The funds will help the food pantry provide food and fresh produce to those who rely on the weekly operation of The Table to supplement their nutritional needs.
The Table will also use a grant of $3,000 from the Transurban Express Lanes Community Grant Program for fresh produce purchases for The Table’s weekly food distribution.
Additionally, both grant awards will support the continued operation of The Table in the World. This special initiative delivers fresh produce during the growing season from June to October to seniors and the affordable housing community at five local sites. The Table in the World partners include Rappahannock Area Agency for Aging, doing business as Healthy Generations.
In 2018, The Table distributed more than 160,000 pounds of food, of which 43% was fresh produce. The weekly pop-up food distribution at historic St. George’s Episcopal Church in downtown Fredericksburg continues the congregation’s longstanding tradition of providing for those in need. The Table fosters not only better nutrition for those experiencing food insecurity, but a strong sense of community among the volunteers who serve and those being served, the shoppers of The Table.
Shoppers at The Table include the young and aged, the able-bodied and the physically challenged, the unemployed and many who are working one or two jobs but are unable to earn enough to adequately nourish their families. Food provided by The Table and other such food operations can make a significant difference in the amount of food available to the people of our community, many of whom receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The Table, operating since January 2012, is located in the church’s parish hall. Open every Tuesday from 9:30 – 11:00 in the morning and 5:00 – 6:30 in the evening, it serves hundreds of people from the city of Fredericksburg and surrounding counties, including Caroline, King George, Orange, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford.
The Table is grateful for the generosity of all who support its efforts to improve the lives of people living with food insecurity. More than 90% of funding for The Table comes from awards, donations, fundraisers, and grants. In-kind donations are provided by corporations and local businesses.
For more information, contact Laurel Loch at 540.373.4133 or laurel.loch@stgeorgesepiscopal.net.
To learn more about The Table and see a video on its operation, visit
https://www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/outreach-and-mission/the-table-at-st-georges/.