Newton, NC – As the holiday season approaches, our community faces a unique season of challenge and hope. As the impact of COVID-19 impact continues to rise, the loss of family, friends and loved ones is devastating. The pandemic has also disrupted our economy throwing tens of thousands into economic peril to face eviction or wonder how to feed their family. Yet, this despair is countered with the hope of the holidays, daily promising news of medical solutions and unyielding support of a caring community. That care grew recently with a $10,000 challenge donation by an anonymous donor to Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Inc.’s COVID Community Campaign. Through this challenge, every dollar donated will pay for a pound a food from the Charlie Bunn food pantry to be delivered to a family in need and will be matched one to one.

Moved by this gift, Executive Director Rev. Robert Silber stated on behalf of the staff, Board and supporters of ECCCM, “We are committed to providing services to a community in need. I am grateful for a donor who is challenging our community to share in this commitment by providing food for those who hunger. Clearly we building a bridge between a difficult time and the future.”

Through the collective support of our community, ECCCM’s COVID Community Campaign was started this past April and has raised more than $100,000 for those families in needs. Led by this campaign, ECCCM’s Charlie Bunn food pantry is serving, on average, 2,000 persons each month which equals 150,000 pounds of food. To ensure lower costs and greater flexibility in delivery of services, the food pantry is largely staffed by dedicated volunteers, young and old, from all walks of life. This service is a key part of ECCCM’s case management services that also provides financial literacy, eviction prevention and crisis support.

If you would like to part of this campaign and have your donation matched, please visit www.ecccm.org/challenge, or mail your support with ‘challenge’ on the memo line to ECCCM, PO Box 31, Newton NC 28658.

ECCCM provides assistance with mortgage/rent payments, utility bills, hunger relief, transportation, and financial coaching. ECCCM has extended “a hand up, not a hand out” to those in need in eastern Catawba County since 1969, never turning away a qualifying client. For more information visit www.ecccm.org or call (828) 465-1702.