Ben Hicks
We introduced the Village Harvest at the end of 2014 as a response to the increasing costs of food and to ease some of the financial strain of those in our community. Port Royal can be described as a food desert. We set up the food distribution market style to bring the food to them and allowing them to shop and take what is needed.
The Village Harvest celebrated its third year of existence in 2017. Growth has continued. St Peter’s served 35% more people and provided 38% more pounds of food on average than 2016. In December, 2017 we exceeded our previous monthly efforts by serving a record 213 people. In 2017, the average client received just under 9 pounds of food worth over $50 at the monthly distribution.
The distribution focuses on fresh produce and meat. In the past three years, we have included a variety of fruits (pears, apples, blackberries, lemons) and vegetables (onions, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, corn, eggplant, beans, cabbages, peas). The distribution periodically includes other items that you donate, such as school supplies, mittens and gloves, recipes for the food being distributed, information about community services, and calendars. In many ways the Village Harvest has become our second congregation with examples of fellowship, outreach and education. Many at St. Peter’s serve each month. Johnny and Cookie Davis bring back food monthly from the Northern Neck Food Bank. As one parishioner told us – “I help with Village Harvest because we get to know the people we help. These folks become friends, not just a number. We don’t get to meet all 191 people but the ones that are regulars ( that we meet every month ) we visit with. It just makes me happy that we can help in some small way to make things a little easier or better for them.”
Another parishioner added the religious element – “Jesus asks us to help people not as fortunate as we are. He tells us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. Everybody will need some sort of help in their lives at some point. Helping people to have access to fresh vegetables, fruit, meats and other necessities is important to me and our church. It is what Jesus asks us to do.”
As the clients have increased so has the cost, now averaging about $1 per client per month. To support the program St Peter’s participated in #Giving Tuesday after Thanksgiving to raise local donations. We hoped to raise $500 on that day or about 3 months support. Actual donations reach $1,010, a wonderful surprise.
Village Harvest is the best type of ministry in helping those outside the church who are dealing with financial hardships as well as those inside the church who enjoy working one-on-one in service to others. Moreover, Village Harvest has helped to strengthen ties with the community we are charged to serve and with God who nourishes us.