From Cherie Austin in Buchanan about the Stop Hunger Now event  organized by Hannah Austin on Saturday, June 9:

“We packaged 20,300+ meals and raised over $5,000 with fundraising efforts from youth in the area, including Buchanan Baptist, Buchanan Presbyterian, Trinity Methodist, Lithia Methodist and Trinty Episcopal youth groups. Congregants, young and older, from other churches donated money and volunteered their time for the event on Saturday: New Beginning’s Assembly of God, Virginia Presbyterian, and Wheatland Lutheran. Many dollars were raised through online donations anonymously, and from people who responded to a Facebook posting. Civic groups around the community responded with funds to purchase the meals as well, after Hannah visited and requested donations.”

Especially impressive was the age diversity among volunteers who arrived Saturday morning. Many of the elder group commented on how great it was to see so many young people give up a summer Saturday morning when they could be sleeping in or laying by the pool. As eighty or more community members populated the bay where the three firetrucks are normally housed, it was easy to see that the ‘under twenty crowd’ outnumbered the ‘over twenty folks’ about 2-to-1.”

“Hannah says that the fundraising for next year’s event has already begun. Put a coin jar on your dining room table and drop in a quarter each time you sit down to eat. Be mindful… that twenty-five cents will provide a meal for six schoolchildren who otherwise may have to go hungry.”

Donations can be made out to/mailed to the youth group: “Wise Guys” UMYF, 1078 Hardbarger Road, Buchanan, VA 24066. Please note “SHN Event” in the memo line.

–submitted by Cherie Austin/photos by Susan Woody