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The Transurban Express Lanes Community Grant Program Awards The Table a $3,000 Grant

May 24, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

The Table at St. George’s is excited to highlight its continued partnership with Transurban following the award of a $3,000 grant through The Transurban Express Lanes Community Grant Program. This is Transurban’s second grant to The Table since 2019.

The Table is St. George’s market-style food pantry. Prior to the pandemic, The Table operated a physical market twice a day each Tuesday that distributed fresh produce, other perishables, as well as nonperishables to persons facing food insecurity. Since 2012, volunteers at The Table have welcomed people to this food pantry in the hope that at this Table, as at our altar table, all may come and find sustenance.

“The mission of The Table is to grow a healthier community. Access to healthy food is simply the gateway to so much more. Working alongside each other, week after week, we learn each other’s stories, share laughter, tears, prayers, and songs. The Table is where we meet God and we are transformed. We discover that when all are welcomed, our world is transformed,” said the Rev. Will Dickinson, Curate at St. George’s Episcopal Church.

Unique among local feeding programs, The Table allows patrons to pick the foods they need for their families. There is also an emphasis on fresh produce to help shoppers eat a healthy diet and manage health issues. A Table shopper leaves with 25-30 pounds of food, 60% of which is perishable such as produce, fruit, protein, and bread. In addition, many volunteers come from the shopper population to emphasize that all part of one community comprised of equals.

When the pandemic required St. George’s to suspend operation of its weekly pop-up market, The Table expanded its existing Table In The World (TITW) initiative where The Table procures and arranges for the delivery of fresh produce and eggs to populations of vulnerable persons. The Table volunteers rapidly expanded TITW to nine distribution locations, some in partnership with other organizations, to address food insecurity issues heightened by pandemic-imposed challenges, allowing more people to access fresh food in a safe manner.

TITW has dramatically expanded The Table’s reach into the community, and while more people are being served during this time, it is at a higher financial cost. Transurban’s generous grant helps The Table at St. George’s to continue TITW at its current expanded level and stabilize our feeding ministry when The Table at St. George’s reopens.

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. Corporations and local businesses provide valuable in-kind donations.

For more information, contact Laurel Loch at 540.373.4133. To see The Table in operation, visit https://www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/outreach-and-mission/the-table-at-st-georges/.

Announcing St. George’s 300th Anniversary Commemoration Events

April 23, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

Fredericksburg, VA – St. George’s Episcopal Church announces two upcoming events as part of their 300^th Anniversary celebrations. On Friday, April 30 at 7 pm, they will host The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, for a Zoom conversation. On May 1 at 11 am, St. George’s will welcome The Rt. Reverend Susan Goff, Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, and Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Mayor of Fredericksburg, for a special commemoration. ASL Interpretation will be provided for both events.

Hosted by Rev. Joe Hensley, Rector of St. George’s, and Rev. Deacon Ed Jones, former Editor of The Free Lance-Star, An Evening with Bishop Curry on April 30 will explore how we are called to be bridge-builders and people of faith, hope, and love as we look to the future of the church and nation. The evening will include a Q&A with Bishop Curry. Advance registration is required at: https://bit.ly/stgbishopcurry.

Bishop Curry will also preach at the 10 am livestream service on Sunday, May 2.

May 1 marks the 300^th anniversary of when the legislation which created St. George’s parish officially went into effect. To celebrate, Bishop Susan Goff will provide a special blessing and Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw will issue a proclamation. The outdoor ceremony in front of the church at 905 Princess Anne Street will include an unveiling of the parish’s new National Register of Historic Places plaque. This event will be livestreamed on YouTube Live: https://bit.ly/StGYouTube.

For more information about St. George’s Episcopal Church, visit www.StGeorgesEpiscopal.net.

The Table at St. George’s Receives a Generous Grant by The Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation

April 15, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

The Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation awarded The Table at St. George’s a $25,000 grant to support its ministry to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to those challenged with food insecurity in the city of Fredericksburg and surrounding counties. This generous grant came at a time when The Table was grappling with operational constraints and the increased needs of its clients due to COVID-19.

In April 2020 when no longer able to safely distribute food from St. George’s parish hall, The Table leadership quickly expanded an initiative called The Table in The World (TITW), which provides low-contact deliveries of fresh produce, eggs and cheese directly to community sites and organizations that serve diverse clients in need. Many individuals who receive free food from TITW have health issues, transportation challenges, and/or mental health issues in addition to limited finances. Making healthy food easily available helps to alleviate additional stress caused by the pandemic.

The Table gratefully acknowledges the valued support from The Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation. This fund has provided financial support for the Table since 2013. The cost of operating TITW far exceeds the costs of operating the normal indoor food pantry. The Honeywell grant most recently awarded went toward fresh food TITW delivered in November 2020 through January 2021. This grant ensured the continuation of food deliveries directly to those in need and strengthened St. George’s food ministry as it prepares to reopen The Table in downtown Fredericksburg’s Market Square on May 4, 2021 from noon to 2:00 pm. This socially distanced food pantry will provide fresh fruits and vegetables to neighbors in need.

In 2020, The Table and TITW gave away approximately $118,000 worth of food. Those served 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/TITW 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 is grateful for the generosity of the Honeywell Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation and all who support St. George’s 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.

Visit The Table at St. George’s Facebook page at facebook.com/thetableatstg.

https://youtu.be/vqVIRPtcdts

The Table at St. George’s Receives a Power of Change Grant

February 20, 2021 by St. George's Leave a Comment

The Table at St. George’s recently received a $15,000 Power of Change grant from the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) to fund purchases of fresh food to be distributed through The Table in the World (TITW), an initiative of the church’s longstanding food ministry to the city of Fredericksburg and surrounding counties.

In March, COVID-19 concerns shuttered the church’s well-established market-style food pantry known as The Table at St. George’s. In response, the ministry’s leaders quickly decided to shift food distribution from a weekly indoor gathering where clients chose from a selection of fresh foods and nonperishables to a low-contact system. The Table fostered healthy eating by making fresh fruits and vegetables available throughout the year in an atmosphere that welcomed all in need. Continuing to serve in this capacity was imperative to the church’s mission to serve its neighbors. Building on the TITW initiative begun in 2017, the leadership implemented a plan to have fresh food delivered by two local farmers and a wholesale supplier directly to sites around the community. Each site stepped up to organize safe distributions to their constituents.

“In this time of national and local disruption, the ministry leaders of The Table faithfully opened their hearts to find creative ways to respond to the rising levels of food insecurity,” said Rev. Areeta Bridgemohan, St. George’s Associate Rector. “They chose to turn challenge into opportunity. While we feel sad about the loss of the community that gathered every week around food, we have gained friends through the new partnerships that have been established and we are reaching into the community on a larger scale. This generous Power of Change grant will support our expanded outreach.”

Over the past 10 months, TITW’s food distribution has grown significantly, as has the number of those challenged by food insecurity in the wake of the pandemic. Weekly deliveries totaling approximately 4,000 pounds now include much-needed fruits, vegetables, eggs, and cheese to eight sites that serve seniors; low-income families; people with mental health, substance use and developmental disorders; and a nonprofit focused on assisting the Latinx community. An additional site receives monthly deliveries. The Power of Change grant provides funding for nearly five weeks of deliveries.

The Power of Change receives its funding from REC members who volunteer to have their electric bill rounded-up to the next highest whole dollar. If Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) provides your power, we ask that you consider supporting The Power of Change to help others in need. Once enrolled, the extra change from your electric bill will be dedicated to charitable causes. Members can sign up by visiting REC’s website (http://www.thepowerofchange.org) or by calling 800.552.3904 for more information. The average member contribution is approximately $6.00 per year and is tax deductible. An annual statement of your charitable contribution will be mailed to you.

For more information, visit The Table at St. George’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thetableatstg.

The Table at St George’s Awarded Grant by MAFRAC

September 24, 2020 by St. George's Leave a Comment

TITW

The Table at St. George’s has been awarded a $15,000 grant by The Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition (MAFRAC) to help fund its Table in the World (TITW) initiative that distributes fresh food from local farmers to Fredericksburg area communities experiencing food insecurity.

Every week TITW distributes at least 4000 pounds of fresh food including vegetables, fruit, cheese, and eggs. This grant award will cover five weeks of distribution at ten local sites: Hazel Hill, Healthy Generations, Heritage Park, LUCHA Ministries, Inc., Madonna House, Mayfield, Mill Park Terrace, Rappahannock Area Community Service Board (RACSB), Stafford Food Security, and Stafford Junction. The sites benefit seniors, low income families, people with mental health and substance use disorders, developmental disorders, and a non-profit focused on assisting the Latinx community.

“The mission of The Table is to feed the mind, body, and spirit,” noted St. George’s Acting Associate Rector, the Rev. Will Dickinson. “As we continue to find new ways to be the Body of Christ during the pandemic, this generous grant from MAFRAC will help us continue to reach out in love to our neighbors in need.”

Founded in 2012 as an alternative to the church’s emergency food pantry, The Table at St. George’s is a weekly market-style food pantry where all are welcome. In 2017, The Table expanded into the community through its Table in the World (TITW) initiative that provides produce to seniors and others experiencing food insecurity. Due to concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic, The Table ceased operating in person in March. Since then, the TITW model was expanded to safely bring weekly deliveries of fresh produce to 10 sites in the Fredericksburg area using low contact distribution.

The Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition is a diverse group of more than 25 partners across the Mid-Atlantic region coming together to keep communities fed, farmers harvesting, and local businesses operating. They are mobilizing farmers, schools, food hubs, food banks, commercial kitchens, rideshare services, food service workers, and more to form a supply chain that brings nutrient-dense, locally sourced food to those in need while simultaneously keeping those people involved in the supply chain meaningfully employed.

For more information, visit The Table at St. George’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thetableatstg.