Cumberland Community Cares (CCC) has received $3,000 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help feed local residents. CCC will use the gift to help with food purchases and nutrition education.

“As a food desert community, there are substantial food inadequacies in our county. With this incredibly generous donation from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation, our dedicated volunteers will be able to continue to provide our recipients with fresh produce, proteins and other food resources, as well as ongoing education about nutrition and good health,” said Doris Seal, President of CCC.

With a mission focusing on community members working together to help community members, CCC has been working through 2018 to increase food and other essential resources to the citizens of the county. In January, it opened the doors of Delma’s Pantry, a community needs-based food pantry to supplement the long standing monthly Mobile Pantry program. In 2018 CCC collaborated with another community agency to bring the monthly Senior Box program to the central Delma’s Pantry location. This is an age-based program that provides a prepackaged box of food and cheese for people 60 years or older.

In early autumn CCC completed the requirements needed to offer the TEFAP [USDA] program, which is a monthly federally funded, income-based program. CCC has also been able to open Delma’s Wellness Center, a program that allows community members to borrow or obtain durable medical equipment and other health care supplies. With the gift from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation, CCC will be able to continue providing food supplies, as well as increase its collaborations with a number of the CTE programs at Cumberland High and with Cooperative Extension for continued cooking demonstrations.

Established in 2001, the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants.