Dear Friends and Supporters of Second Harvest,
In walking through the doors of Second Harvest, you instantly feel a unique energy.
Each morning, I’m greeted by partner agencies preparing to pick-up fresh produce, frozen meat, and other vital foods they will be using just a few hours later to serve individuals facing food insecurity throughout our region.
As I walk into the food bank, our Second Harvest team is already hard at work on a variety of projects – assisting our partners with their questions or needs, preparing for food drives, coordinating food pick-ups at grocery stores, training individuals for not only a job, but a career in the food industry, hitting the road to make deliveries to our outlying counties, coordinating food pick-ups at grocery stores, organizing materials for cooking and nutrition classes, communicating with donors (or potential donors) about how their support is making a difference in the lives of our communities’ residents every day, and advancing collaborations with private and public community partners to increase the impact of our services… or even reduce the number of people who will need our help in the future.
Are you out of breath yet?
This breathless feeling is something I get every day. It is exhilarating and I am very thankful for my new home and role in succeeding Clyde Fitzgerald as Second Harvest’s third CEO in our history. The exhilaration comes from the inspiration I receive from seeing the dedication of our staff, volunteers, partners, and donors. Collectively, you are transforming lives by helping families stretch their paychecks, placing healthy food on tables that often don’t see enough of it, and giving children the nutrition they need to focus and succeed in school.
The difference you make is simply astounding and I looking forward to building on our past results.
I invite you to continue this journey with us (or join us for the first time) as we apply existing best practices, seek innovative approaches, and implement new strategies that will take us to a time when we all live in hunger-free communities.
Thank you for all you do for Second Harvest Food Bank & those we serve! And thank you for feeding community with us.
Sincerely,
Eric Aft Chief Executive Officer Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina
