By K. Brent Hill
Spring is a season of renewal, of fresh beginnings, and it brings with it a spirit of hope. However as the flowers bloom and the days get longer, our food pantry faces a challenge that is quietly growing beneath the surface. In our beautiful town, many of our neighbors are quietly doing their best to navigate food insecurity. Neighbor to Neighbor is facing an increased demand for services. Our stocked shelves are now experiencing a faster turnover as more families and individuals turn to the pantry for a helping hand with basic needs. Since just the beginning of this year, the number of new clients that have come through our doors has increased by a staggering 20%. While our donors, staff, and volunteers push to ensure no one goes hungry, there is still much more to be done.
As the Executive Director, I want to share with you the reality we–and those we serve–are facing. The food pantry, tucked away on the Christ Church campus, has been a source of both nutrition and dignity since 1975, easing the very real stress of an empty home refrigerator and pantry to provide sustenance to families during tough times. Not having enough milk money is very real for some families. However, the recent increase in demand tells a story of economic uncertainty combined with skyrocketing food costs measured in hardships faced right here at home by our neighbors. Behind the numbers are real faces, real stories that echo growing challenges. Working families with growing children facing a frightening, if temporary reality.
Neighbor to Neighbor works hard to create a dignified environment where everyone feels welcome. Providing food and basic living necessities is a vital step in lifting up our neighbors and preparing for a better tomorrow.
Our upcoming Spring Luncheon, scheduled for April 3rd at the Greenwich Country Club, is an event AND a call to action. It is an opportunity for our community and beyond to come together and make a difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity. The proceeds from this event will allow us to meet the growing needs of our current, expanded client base.
We have the pleasure of featuring the dynamic Lydia Fenet at our event as the keynote speaker. Take a moment to read about her remarkable story on this page.
Fenet is the founder and CEO of the Lydia Fenet Agency, a boutique agency representing best in class charity auctioneers. She has single handedly raised over one billion dollars for more than 800 organizations and broken-down countless barriers for women in the auction industry. Fenet has the innate ability to light up a room and affect positive change in the lives of many.
Fenet is also the author of two best-selling books, The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You & Claim Your Confidence as well as the podcast host of Claim Your Confidence.
As we prepare for the Spring Luncheon, I extend a heartfelt invitation to all. Let us stand together in solidarity with our neighbors facing food insecurity. Your support whether through attendance, donation, or volunteering will help us spread awareness about the growing issue of food insecurity and our mission to nourish our neighbors and foster a stronger and more resilient town. We look forward to joining forces with our community partners to make Greenwich a better place for all. As spring starts to unfold, let us, too, unfold our hearts to the needs of our neighbors and beyond.
To learn more about the Spring Luncheon and purchase tickets, please visit https://www.ntngreenwich.org/
K. Brent Hill is the Executive Director, Neighbor to Neighbor