A Year of Impact
Blessed Sunday, friends:
As I calculate statistics and file reports —and review the plans for our upcoming renovations—it is easy to see the ‘bricks and mortar’ of our progress.
But thanks to the incredible generosity of our individual and corporate donors, what we are actually building is a stronger, more resilient Newport.
This past year has been nothing short of transformative. Because of your belief in our mission, we didn’t just meet our goals; we shattered them.
I am proud to share that we served over 60,000 meals to 230 local families. In total, our doors opened for over 3,000 visits from neighbors in need.
What makes this work so impactful is our efficiency. We’ve managed to keep costs remarkably low—it currently costs less than a quarter to provide a single meal. In a world of rising prices, we can feed a person for an entire week on less than $5.
Our successes this year have been both operational and communal:
- A Season of Giving: Our ’12 Days of Christmas’ event was a triumph, raising nearly $3,000 and collecting 30 boxes of food.
- Infrastructure: Our freezers are now fully operational, ensuring we never have to turn away fresh or frozen donations.
- Youth Support: Our Backpack Program continues to be a lifeline, providing 100 over-weekend food boxes to Newport children every month during the school year.
Beyond the food, we’ve matured as an organization. We officially launched our branded pantry, new signage, and a modern website and social media presence. To top off this incredible year, we were honored to be named Non-Profit of the Year by the Newport Chamber of Commerce.
However, the best is yet to come. Because of a recent grant from the NSO, this spring we are launching two major pillars of our future: our facility renovations and our brand-new volunteer program. These upgrades aren’t just aesthetic; they allow us to serve our neighbors with the dignity and efficiency they deserve.
We will share more in our 2025 Annual Report – which is on its way to the printers (and will be available digitally). We can’t wait to share details of our successes – and our plans!
To all our donors and volunteers: you are the engine behind every meal served and every family supported. Thank you for making this ‘very successful year’ possible, and for helping us grow into 2026 and beyond.
