Sustainer Spotlight: Kathryn Supports the Food Bank to Give Back to the Community
Throughout Hunger Action Month, we encourage your friends, family, and networks to Donate, Volunteer, Advocate, and Vote. Our 30 Ways in 30 Days calendar is full of simple ideas for taking action all month long.
We have a goal of bringing on 50 new sustainers in 30 days during September. Kathryn Allen is a monthly sustainer who donates each month to the Food Bank. By providing a monthly gift, you can sustain the Food Bank's work to end hunger for good.
– Kathryn Allen Food Bank Monthly SustainerNone of us can survive without food. Being able to have support in the community is something I think is really essential.
A visit to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC changed the way one donor contributed to the fight against hunger in the community.
Kathryn Allen first learned of the Food Bank in the early 2000s as an instructor at Wake Tech.
“We did holiday food drives with the students, and so that’s probably the first time I heard about the Food Bank."
It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that she decided to become a sustaining donor, after realizing many of her students couldn't work because of the shutdown.
“A lot of them worked in the food industry. Some of them cut hair or did various jobs that they couldn’t work during that time."
This is when she realized there was a greater need in the community. She decided to donate financially to give back to the local community.
“I knew [the Food Bank] did a good job, so I figured this would be a good way for me to contribute to not only my students but other people as well."
She started by donating $10 a quarter.
“I think I went online, and it just got drafted out of my account, and I honestly didn’t think about it after a while."
However, after touring the Food Bank, she knew she wanted to increase her contribution.
– Kathryn Allen Food Bank Monthly SustainerIt gave me a lot of confidence that the money that I’m giving is actually really directly supporting the people that I hope to support.
Kathryn hopes her donation lets families know that the community is supporting them.
"None of us can survive without food. Being able to have support in the community is something I think is really essential."
It’s what keeps her coming back to give, and she encourages others to do the same, no matter how big or small the contribution.
“I think sometimes people feel like they don’t have a lot that they can donate or they can’t donate every month and so they don’t donate at all."
However, she emphasized that even the smallest contribution can go a long way. In fact, for every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide three meals for children, seniors, and families across 34 counties.
In addition to donating, she also encourages the community to visit the Food Bank and “get to know the work.”
Take Action to Support Local Hunger Relief Efforts
In the average volunteer shift, a single person will sort and pack enough food to fuel more than 160 meals for local families.
No one in our community should go hungry — and we need state and federal leaders to invest in local farms and families.
News & Updates
See All News Sustainer Spotlight: Kathryn Supports the Food Bank to Give Back to the Community
This Hunger Action Month, Kathryn Allen shares how she became a monthly sustainer for the Food Bank. By setting up an automatic monthly gift, Kathryn sustains the Food Bank's work to end hunger for good.
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