With the Spring comes more demand in our food pantry.  We are in need of volunteers that are willing to work hard and interact with ours guests.  Positions needing to be filled are as follows:

1) Wednesdays –  9:30am-2:00pm Food Pantry Stocker and Food Pantry Gatekeeper (see Get Involved: Daily Operations in our tab bar above for descriptions

2) Thursdays — 9:30am-2:00pm – Food Pantry Stocker

3) Fridays –  9:30am-2:00pm – Food Pantry Stocker and Food Pantry Gatekeeper

4) Fridays — 9:30am-2:00pm – Screener (see Get Involved: Daily Operations in our tab bar above for descriptions)

These are the first mustard greens harvested at Farm East Gardens. 12 bags of greens were given to 12 families in East Nashville that received food assistance.  It’s wonderful to see the harvest already beginning!

Inglewood Garden also contributed their first garden greens harvest.

Not to be outdone by the beautiful greens, volunteers sport their Spring colors as well.  Want to get in on the planting and harvesting?  We could always use a hand!  Fill our our volunteer form here and we will be in touch soon.

We are honored to inform you that starting the first week of November we kicked off our
2009 Campaign Challenge to raise $25k,
and as of January 8th, the last day of our efforts,
WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL!!!

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS GOES OUT TO THE CAMPAIGN TEAM AND THEIR EFFORTS.

And a huge THANK YOU to all of you who gave of yourselves and your pocketbooks to make this happen.  We are so very grateful!

Goal: $25,000

Raised: $25,835

…and awaiting a few more gifts…

Hey friends!  We are wrapping up the campaign in just TWO DAYS!  (January 8th).  We are so close to our goal and need you to put us over the top.   We need just $2050.00 to meet our goal.  Please consider contributing to ENCM in any small or big way.  We cannot do what we do without you!  Our most humble and grateful thanks to all of you for supporting ENCM in so many ways.

As the year draws to a close, we are winding up our 2009 Campaign.  Just before Christmas we passed the 75 % mark toward our goal!  For those of you who have contributed to the work we do at ENCM, we send out a most heartfelt thank you.  We would not be able to help the people we do without you!

If you plan on donating to our End-of-Year 2009 campaign, here are some things to consider:

• Please support our End-of-Year Campaign by getting your gifts in before the New Year so you get 2009 giving credit. Send all gifts to 807 Main Street, Nashville, Tn 37206 or online at ENCM.org – click on the ‘donate’ button above.
• Your year-end record of giving will come to your early in 2010.  All donations to ENCM are tax deductible and we will send you a receipt with your total 09 giving to simplify the process.

Also find attached to this post our Winter newsletter with a word from our tireless and fearless Executive Director as well as how we have been doing this quarter.

Blessings to you and your loved ones this season from ENCM!

Winter Newsletter January 2010

We are in the home stretch with out 2009 Campaign to raise funds for the coming year.  We passed the halfway mark, but we have a long way to go!  Please consider contributing to the welfare of those in need in East Nashville this holiday season.

Fundraising Ideas

Celebrate the holiday season at the First Annual Christmas Fest!

December 5th-6th

“A one-stop place to do Christmas shopping and enjoy a concert by the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra, the event is sponsored by Historic East Nashville Merchants Association and hosted by Nashville First Church of the Nazarene.

This two-day festive bazaar featuring local merchants will benefit the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry.  On Saturday, stay for the evening symphonic concert featuring your favorite Christmas arrangements.

Your requested “entry fee” is a blanket or coat (new or gently used) that will be donated to the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry.”

Please contact Christmas Fest at 615-690-4421 or visit their website at www.christmasfest.net for more information

We hope to see you there!

We are entering week 3 of ENCM’s 2009 Campaign and so far so good! We are more than half way to our goal! If you’ve already made a contribution to ENCM for this year, consider talking to your friends about how they can make a difference right here in our neighborhood. Thanks for helping to get the word out!

You can read more here about our 2009 Campaign goals and successes.

The 2009 Campaign is under way!  We will be bringing you updates as we raise money for East Nashville Cooperative Ministry.    Our goal is to raise $25,000 for next year.  You can participate by clicking the ‘donate here’ button and help ENCM touch even more lives in 2010.

2009 Statistics at a Glance:

Emergency Food Assistance:
5,000 households served through emergency food pantry
13,312 individuals received food assistance
1,753 individuals received 2-3 pound bags of local, fresh produce

New Programs:
Eden Project:  distribute fresh produce to community
Co-op Café: Coffee Shop atmosphere without the steep costs
Emmaus Fellowship:  3 course meal with worship service

Program Success:
Eden Project: 7,802 lbs of produce gleaned and shared
Community Garden: 574 lbs of vegetables harvested
Became largest Emergency Food Bank in Middle TN

Growth:
Launched a new food bank, clothing closet and community garden
19% increase in individuals served since ’08, 37% since ‘07
Acquired 120% more growing space for community garden harvest

2009 Campaign Fund Allocation:

As a few of our output statistics allude, East Nashville Cooperative Ministry in one year has become the largest emergency food pantry in Middle TN while becoming the ONLY agency growing, reclaiming and creatively distributing fresh produce from community gardens and local farms (through our Cooperative Gardens and The Eden Project).  This “whole systems” approach is unprecedented in Nashville!  We plan on building on this system in 2010 by developing a more mobile effort that incorporates small produce markets in depressed neighborhoods and offering gardening and cooking education.

In light of our projected growth, generous donations to our 2009 Campaign will be allocated as follows:

1)    30% of our funds will be used for capital improvements to sustain the increased traffic at our two food banks. This is important to maintain an environment of hospitality!
2)    30% of our funds will be used to support the needs for our increase in mobility. For example, with our network of gardens, our broadening radius of collaborative farms, and our desire to develop a small produce market that can visit struggling neighborhoods, transportation demands and food preservation needs drastically increase. Key materials and reliable transportation are needed.
3)    40% of our funds will be used to support our Cooperative Garden network. The needs here are both material resources and personnel costs.

A beautiful night of practicing caring for others in need. The event Standing By, raised $2070 on site with more in pledges coming.

A very heartfelt thank you to Plumb, Fly Golden Eagle, and Rae Hering for providing the evening’s entertainment.

Powerful words were spoken by Plumb to remind us that we do not serve and love our fell0w man because of what he or she deserves, but because they are created by God and are His children.  As she so aptly put it, God says, ‘That’s my kid too’, when He looks at each of us.

And a huge thank you to everyone who attended.  Without your support, ENCM would not be able to serve the people in this community.  Thank You!

Are you interested in helping ENCM in a more hands on way?  Look under the ‘Get Involved’ tab for ways you can help us.  Coming soon…Internships!!

Plumb Rocks the Belcourt for ENCM – Photo Credit: Amy Hobbs