Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, Inc.

Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, Inc. in Cashiers ("Fishes & Loaves") is a North Carolina non-profit corporation created in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code by six Cashiers area churches in 2005. Our organization operates under the direction of a Board of Directors whose members are elected for three-year terms. Officers of the Board of Directors include a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. Statistics show that one in five people in Jackson County fall below the poverty line. The mission of Fishes & Loaves is to help alleviate hunger in Jackson County by providing free food to people in the area who fall below the poverty line based on family size and monthly income. The food comes from several sources: (1) MANNA FoodBank, which distributes food via a Federal program known as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and food donated by local grocery chains; (2) local food drives sponsored by schools and churches; and (3) direct purchases from our local Ingles grocery store. Eligible visitors to the food pantry are given one or two boxes of food twice per month depending on the size of the family and invited to take additional loose food items, seasonal fresh vegetables and fruits. A standard box of food includes 3 cans of vegetables, 3 cans of meat, 3 cans of fruit, cereal, 2 cans of soup, dried beans, rice, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes, peanut butter and frozen meat. Additionally, special boxes of food with turkeys or hams are distributed prior to Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas each year. In cooperation with the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley, free coats are distributed at the pantry during the winter. Fishes & Loaves is located behind the Cashiers Glenville Volunteer Fire Department on Frank Allen Road and is open Mondays and Thursdays from 4:30PM to 6:30PM. Volunteers from eleven area churches staff the food pantry on a monthly rotating basis during these hours. The month of June is open to the community to provide volunteers. The Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley helps in putting together the food boxes as well as distribute free coats at the food pantry during the winter.