CASE STUDY
Creative Problem Solvers
Evolving a Closet-Sized Food Pantry and Gathering Leftover Groceries
Although they may not necessarily be familiar with Asset Based Community Development ( or ABCD ), rural and small-town congregations practice ABCD day in and day out . They identify resources in their respective geographies and then leverage them in order to meet needs in their communities . FaithBridge United Methodist Church in Blowing Rock and Swansboro United Methodist Church in Swansboro both exemplify this spirit .
FaithBridge United Methodist Church ’ s food ministry , Casting Bread , began as a closet-sized food pantry that utilized no more than a single cupboard and metal shelf . The program evolved over time – as the church developed a reputation for compassionately providing for families experiencing food insecurity . This reputation directly translated to increased numbers of folks heading to FaithBridge to ask for food ; in response , the church expanded the program so that it could feed every person who came through its doors .
FaithBridge United Methodist Church , Blowing Rock , NC
Swansboro United Methodist Church , Swansboro , NC
Today , Casting Bread is a separate 501 ( c )( 3 ) organization that employs three people . It includes a self-choice market with weekly distribution ; a lunch program offered twice weekly ; and a bakery . It is the only program of its kind in its Western North Carolina region . Other pantries distribute preselected food items that are packaged in a bag or box and then handed to the recipient . Casting Bread offers instead , a more dignified , personalized experience to anyone in need of food – regardless of income or residency . In addition to offering a better overall experience , this model accounts for what folks are familiar with and what they like to cook , which reduces the food waste associated with traditional pantries .
Each year , Casting Bread generates nearly $ 300,000 in economic impact . In 2019 , this entailed distributing over 230,000 pounds of food to 1,100 households and providing 3,200 meals via their lunch program .
Like FaithBridge , Swansboro United Methodist Church works to reduce food insecurity . However , the way that it approaches this task varies according to the resources and opportunities that are available locally . Swansboro is located in a rural community that is adjacent to a popular coastal resort area with a thriving seasonal economy . Resort goers often stay for a week at a time in units that include en-suite kitchens , leaving unopened groceries behind when they leave . To prevent this food from going to waste , the volunteers from the church pick up the leftover groceries and then donate them to local food pantries . The resorts support this effort by asking guests to sign a simple agreement stating that the church will gather and donate the food . In a typical summer , Swansboro collects and distributes approximately $ 50,000 worth of food that would otherwise go to waste .
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