"Building relationships to support our community with

collaboration, compassion and purpose."

By John Bailey

Catawba County United Way

Whether it’s a family just trying to make ends meet or it’s a single parent worried about meeting basic needs, the one thing our local soup kitchens and pantries can always provide is a hot meal and a welcoming space.

And one of the greatest celebrations of support for this outreach is the annual Hunger Walk in downtown Newton, hosted by and benefiting The Corner Table in Newton, Ashure Ministry in Newton and the Hickory Soup Kitchen.

This year’s event was held on Oct. 13 with over 400 participants and with a goal of up to $55,000 in monetary donations.

“It's clear that (the Hunger Walk) not only raised awareness about food insecurity but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration among participants,” The Corner Table Executive Director Summer Jenkins said. “The turnout was impressive, showcasing strong support for our cause.”

IMPACT IN 2023:

• Hickory Soup Kitchen served more than 225 plates of food daily.
• https://hickorysoupkitchen.org/
• Ashure Ministry – gave out 2.5 million pounds of food items.
• https://ashureministry.org/
• The Corner Table – served meals to 47,543 guests.
• https://www.thecornertable.org/



“This event has shown what we can achieve when we come together with compassion and purpose. We are deeply grateful for everyone’s support,” Ashure Ministry Executive Director Kristal Manning said.

This was the first year the Hickory Soup Kitchen participated in the Hunger Walk and HSK Executive Director Austin Pearce was impressed by the support he saw for the event.

“Summer and Kristal are incredible to work with, and all the volunteers were great. I look forward to next year,” Pearce said.

To find more resources in Catawba County to help those in need visit nc211.org or dial 2-1-1 to access the United Way of North Carolina’s human services resource line.

As collection and distribution sites have filled with the generosity of an entire state and beyond, efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina have shifted to monetary donations.

Individuals and groups wanting to help are encouraged to consider donating financially toward these efforts locally through the United Way of North Carolina and statewide at the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

As we move toward longer-term recovery for our region, material distribution to those in need in Western NC will be increasingly handled by state and federal resources.

For more information call 828-327-6851.

Congratulations Gary Hamblin from Shurtape Technologies.

Gary is this week's car drawing finalist in the 2024 Catawba County United Way Car Giveaway, donated by Paramount Auto Group in Hickory.

Thank you to Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A. for overseeing this year’s drawings.

Want to be part of this year’s United Way campaign? Call 828-327-6851 or visit THIS LINK for more information.

The Car Giveaway winner will be chosen on Dec. 12.

Thank You to everyone who supports the CCUW every year.

FOOD RESOURCES FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HELENE - Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefit applications will be taken beginning Friday, October 18 and the application period closes on Thursday, October 24. Eligible households will receive a one-time benefit card to help buy food. The exact amount will depend on household size, income and estimated losses. The benefits are good for up to nine months.

Residents of the following counties are eligible to apply: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties. Members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians living in zip code 28719 can also apply.

To be eligible, a person must:

• Have suffered losses/damages related to Hurricane Helene, such as damage to property or loss of income.

• Have proof of identity and proof of residency (if available).

• Have income and resources below certain levels.

• Not currently be receiving benefits through the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program. People receiving FNS can also get extra help buying food, but do not need to fill out a D-SNAP application. 

DELIVER MEALS TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS - Meals on Wheels of Catawba County has an immediate need for volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors. Volunteers commit to just one day per month for 60 to 90 minutes. Meals are picked up at 10:30 or 11 a.m., depending on location, and are delivered to seniors in need in the surrounding area Monday through Thursday.

An in person volunteer training for new volunteers will be held in November. If you cannot attend this training, it may be completed online.

Volunteer Training

Weds, Nov 13th

Senior Nutrition Services

507 Boundary St, Newton 1:30-3:00 pm

Call Kirstin Abernethy at 828-695-5610 to register

***Registration is required***

More information at - mealsonwheelsofcatawbacounty.org

NIGHT OF COMPASSION RESCHEDULED - Due to weather we are rescheduling the Night of Compassion featuring Lauren Daigle and special guests from Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Crawdads’ Stadium.

Lauren Daigle will remain our headlining artist. Due to scheduling conflicts, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors will no longer be opening the show. Our team is working hard to find a replacement. Updates will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fans should hold on to their tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled performance date. Tickets to this event are non-refundable as the performance is a fundraiser for local non-profits.

For tickets purchased through the Crawdads’ box office, transferring tickets to a friend can be done by logging into your account via the mlb.tickets website, app, or by phone. Our team can only assist with tickets bought directly from our box office or via mlb.tickets.

If you have any further questions, please send us an email at info@theartofcompassion.net

We've all heard the phrase - "It takes a village," and in the non-profit world it's true. The Catawba County United Way enjoys building relationships with its community partners and sees how much greater our impact is because of our collective efforts every day.

Below are some upcoming nonprofit events from just a few of those partners...please share, and if you're interested, the Catawba County Interagency Council meets the second Thursday every month (10:30 a.m.) at the United Way office - 2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory.

Call 828-327-6851 for more information or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.

NC 211 is the United Way of North Carolina's health and human services information line.

For help - Call NC 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or (888) 892 1162 or visit THIS LINK. Open 24/7.

Catawba County United Way is one of several community partners who help fund this program every year.