Angela Caraway, excutive director of the Caraway Foundation, prepares volunteers for the day of giving out produce boxes on Oct. 3 at the Ansonville Fire Department.
Liz O’Connell | Anson Record
Student volunteers load about 1200 produce boxes into cars at the Ansonville Fire Department on Oct. 3.
Liz O’Connell | Anson Record
The Caraway Foundation hands out produce boxes filled with dairy, fruits, vegetables and meat products on Oct. 3 at the Ansonville Fire Department.
Liz O’Connell | Anson Record
ANSONVILLE — Volunteers gathered at the Ansonville Fire Department to hand out about 1,200 produce boxes to churches and the community on Oct. 3.
Each 32 pound box is filled with dairy, fruit, vegetables and meat products. The Caraway Foundation will be giving out these boxes of produce every Saturday throughout October.
The Caraway Foundation, which is organizing these handouts, held a similar event back in August. Under the USDA’s Farm to Families program, boxes of food will be given to distributors, then community groups or foundations like the Caraway Foundation will coordinate the transportation of the boxes to families in need. The Caraway Foundation works with the Military Produce Company and Lancaster Foods, the distributor, according to Angela Caraway, executive director of the Caraway Foundation.
Caraway’s own event planning business took a hit because of COVID-19, leading her to understand how badly people are suffering during this time. She knew there had to be a way for her to step up and help out her home county, which is why the foundation is hosting these produce box pick-ups.
“I know that this community can use all the help they can receive,” Caraway said. “We’re a rural area and we have great people and great resources. The problem is I just feel like the resources don’t get to where they are supposed to get to or that we’re not told about all of the resources available.”
Caraway emphasized this program is to help everyone in the community, no matter how much you make or used to make. You do not have to qualify or register. The only reason to sign up is if you are with a church or organization wishing to receive more than ten boxes.
Twenty-eight churches from Anson, Union and Stanly counties requested boxes during the Oct. 3 pick-up to give out to their community. Caraway said volunteers will also deliver the boxes to about 44 senior citizens of Ansonville.
“I grew up seeing my grandmother giving back to the community,” Caraway said. “I grew up giving back and the foundation is based on helping those, whether it is in education or some type of resource.”
The next produce box pick-up will be at Harvest Ministry on Oct. 10. The other locations and dates are as follows: Walmart parking lot on Oct. 17, Ansonville Fire Department on the 24th and Harvest Ministry on Halloween.
