Ashley: Continuing to Challenge the Status Quo

Dear Friends and Partners of the Food Bank,

First, let me thank all of you for the warm welcome I have received since I took over my role in October 2022. I have truly enjoyed getting to speak with, and, more importantly, learn from the many people who make our work possible. My greatest professional challenge has been and remains challenging the status quo. Even when we know that we have surpassed expectations and delivered, when you’re in the business of mission, there’s always more to do, better ways to do it, and lessons to learn.

One of the reasons I was drawn to the Food Bank was the ambitious strategic plan the staff, board, and partner agencies created and put in place last year. It showed me that I was going to have the privilege to lead an organization that is not afraid to challenge the status quo in the food security space. This group, which includes you as our biggest supporters, is ready to not only nourish people but to build solutions that will ultimately see our vision of no one going hungry in central and eastern North Carolina become a reality.

This is why in this report, you will see several updates regarding the initiatives in our strategic plan. We want you to be aware of and continue to play a role in our growth and in building those solutions. Your support is going to be key to addressing food insecurity in our service area. Thank you for helping us keep the Food Bank strong while reaching even higher.