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.
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