Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Need!
Many thanks to Old Town North Farmers and Hank’s Oyster Bar for ensuring that none of the produce from the local farms or other local farms sold at the Old Town North Farmers Market goes to waste.
At the end of the Sunday Market, Volunteers from the Old Town North Community Partnership and Volunteer Alexandria drop off produce that won’t be carried over until next week with our friends at Hank’s Oyster Bar.
The produce is stored in a refrigerator until it can be picked by the team from Alive and taken directly to one of the Alive Food Hubs in Alexandria.
Many of the vendors and volunteers at the Old Town North Market are also involved in additional efforts to support those in need within the community.
Leigh Talbot of Common Hearth frequently donates fresh-baked goods to local not-for-profits, including Carpenter’s Shelter, Alive, and Christ House. Market Volunteer Shane recently assisted with a food distribution for recently unemployed federal employees.
* Most recently, Common Hearth donated a Gift Basket to the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria’s Fundraiser.
Market Volunteer Shane has recently begun volunteering with Lasagna Love and Food not Bombs.
Food Not Bombs is a mutual aid movement that focuses on fighting hunger and food insecurities. They serve free vegan and vegetarian food to anyone, no questions asked. Each chapter collects surplus food from grocery stores, bakeries, local farmers, and food that would otherwise go to waste, repurposing it to feed vulnerable communities… Learn More Here.
Lasagna Love is a community focused program that helps provide food security and kindness to those in need through fresh, homemade lasagna. Volunteers are paired with individuals that need a little extra love, whether it be because of a disability, a financial hardship, or just a rough week. This movement started during COVID as a way to help neighbors and build community in a scary and confusing time.
Shane Battles volunteers with Lasagna Love, providing homemade lasagna to those in need every month. While he has only been helping with Lasagna Love for a month, he says it’s a great way to combine his love of cooking with his desire to help those in need.
