We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Village Harvest

Village Harvest, Aug 17 serves 89 people from 4 counties

August surged ahead of last month feeding 89 people compared to 74.  It was just above the average number per month of 88 in 2022.  Clients were from 4 counties, Caroline, King  George,  Westmoreland, and Essex. It was above 70 clients in August, 2019, the year before the pandemic.

Pounds of food for August at 915 were below the average of 1219 for 2022. Pound per person at 10.30 was the lowest figure since January. Elizabeth Heimbach reports, “For the first time that I can remember, there is nothing to take to Social Services! The freezer, the refrigerator, and the coolers are empty. The blue berries, corn, and meat were very welcome.” (Last month there was sizeable amount left over which they give to social service). Pounds per person has been 13.82 in 2022 for 8 months (For 2021 as a whole it was slightly higher at 14.32/)

The food in April was 21% produce, 71% grocery and 8% meat. (A year ago produce was higher at 33% and meat higher at 17%.)

For the year we have served 706 people for the first 8 months compared to 640 for the same period last year. The food available last year was 10,179 pounds compared to 9,759 this year or 420 pounds less. Pounds per person for the year has also been less this year at 13.82 vs. 15.90 last year.

Village Harvest, July 2022 – What happened?

When we look back in July and over recent years, the trends from June to July show either a steady increase or a sizeable drop. There is no consistency between years.

We had 74 people visit the harvest in July.  That was  a significant drop from 96 in June.  In 2021, the number from June to July  was actually up from 70 to 80 reflecting an increase. 2020 was a pandemic year. In 2019 the number of clients fell from 130 to 101. The year before there was an increase from 100 to 119. So it’s  “all over the place.” For the year 2022 is just above 2021, 617 to 615 but the difference between the years has been decreasing.

The real value is in the food provided – and that is up . We distributed 1,254 pounds of food, the largest distribution since March. The year it is 8,841 pounds for 2022 vs 8,718 for 2021. Pounds per client were up monthly from 14.18 to 14.33. The last full year was 2019 which was only 12 pounds. Similarly, the value per client at $6 a pound averaged from  $86 to $88 monthly during the period. It was $81 in 2019, the last full year. 

One positive is the composition of the foods. Produce shot up from 9% to 34%. In 2019 and 2021 it was comparable at 36%.  Meat was the main change at 19% in July, 2022 compared to 15% in 2021 and 7% in 2019

Village Harvest, July 2023 – A Quick Analysis

CLIENTS

For the first 7 months average clients are done from 88 to 79, a 10% reduction.

Clients increased from June from 65 to 72 in July.

Total clients served is 552 in 2023 vs. 617 in 2022, a 11% reduction.

FOOD

Total food is down from 8,844 pounds for first 7 months in 2022 to 7,576 in 2023, a 14% reduction.

Food at 1,206 was over June at 949. It was the second largest supply in 2023.

Pounds per person is 13.7 in 2023 first 7 months vs. 14.3 in 2022 for 7 months.

Considering just June to July, pounds per person, rose from 14.6 to 16.75, the second highest figure in 2023.

FOOD TYPES

In terms of supply, there was a smaller percentage of produce 41% in July vs. 45% in June.  However, it was a larger percentage than a year ago in July, 2022. In July, 2022, it was 34% produce.

OTHER

Cookie bought can openers for those who requested them. We are keeping a list of those who requested to make sure sure they will get them if they were not there in July.

The Free Lance-Star had an additional article recently on other food sources. We have had our “Grab and Go” meals list plus a texting method of finding summer meals

Village Harvest Prep Work

This is an example of the work that goes on behind the scenes. This happens to be May, 2023. One group goes to the Health Harvest Food Bank in Montross on the Tuesday before the Wednesday, Village Harvest to obtain the food. A separate team is waiting at St. Peter’s on this other team to return. This second group unloads the boxes, opens them, sorts and creates boxes for each client receiving food.

(full size gallery)

Honoring Women’s leadership on International Women’s Day

March 8 is International Women’s Day/ https://www.internationalwomensday.com “Celebrating women’s achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality, is key.” “Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes International Women’s Day impactful.”

Let’s call out the achievements of women at St. Peter’s:

At St. Peter’s our key ministries are led by women. Andrea Pogue (Village Dinner, Village Harvest, Shred It, Sacred Ground, Jamaica mission), Cookie Davis (Buildings and Grounds, Sacred Ground as well as her work with historic Port Royal), Susan Linne von Berg (Village Dinner), Elizabeth Heimbach (ECW). BJ Anderson (Altar – Communion Bread), Jan Saylor (the above and anything creative), Denise Gregory (music) and Mary Peterman(music,art). One other lady to cite – Eunice Key who has moved to SC but who worked in most of the above ministries and named the Village Harvest and is in the collage. Diligent, hard working with abundant initiative to go along with it. Without them there would be a big gap.

Village Harvest, Feb. 2023

The pace has been slower in the first 2 months of 2023. The chart illustrates this summary over 3 years with fewer clients combined with a smaller food distribution:

Feb’s total clients were 77 above Jan 60. Food distributed was also lower at 836 pounds vs. 1,137 for Jan. Feb’s total represented the lowest pounds distributed since Sept. 2021

Village Harvest Anniversary

Village Harvest. concluded our 8th year, Nov. 16~

Psalm 107:37 “And sow fields and plant vineyards, And gather a fruitful harvest.”

The Village Harvest ends its 8th year in November. The October, 2014 newsletter read as follows ” In an effort to make fresh food more available to those in our area in need of food, the ECW is going to head up a new project. Credit goes to Eunice for conceiving the name “Village Harvest.”

St Peter’s provides an opportunity for people in the area to come get fresh produce, meat, and assorted non-perishable items on the third Wednesday of each month.   The offerings change from month to month, depending on what’s available at the food bank. 

Thanks to the generosity of St Peter’s, not only are we able to provide food, but Catherine has also been able to use her discretionary fund to help these people in other ways.  

During the first  11 months of 2022, we have fed 970 people compared to 898 in the previous year during the same period.  The amount of food provided is about the same – 13,834 pounds for 2022 and 13,292 for 2021. Pounds per person, however, were higher in 2021 at 14.80 compared with 14.26 in the current year

Over the past 8 years we have distributed 107,822 pounds of food  for 9,978 people  or 10.8 pounds per person.

Village Harvest, 9 months 2022 boosts totals over 2021

Through, Sept 2022, St. Peter’s has fed 794 people exceeding the 9 month period in 2021 which saw 723 come to the Harvest. Food distributed has been less, however, at 10,848 vs. 10,976 pounds, a 1.1% decline.  Pounds per person fell in the last year from 15.2 to 13.7.  However, 13.7 is still ahead of the years before 2020.

The  selections of food was concentrated in produce 35%, grocery 31% and meat 34%. The produce percentage was the largest since May at 43% 1,089 pounds were distributed in Sept.  compared to 915 in August, the low for 2022.  1,089 pounds is still under the 12 month average of 1,181.

Village Harvest – Behind the scenes, June 2022

We sometimes forget there is more than one team that makes the Village Harvest happen. These pictures were taken at the Healthy Harvest Food Bank in Montross on June 14, 2022, one day before the Harvest on June 15, 3pm to 5pm

Healthy Harvest’s mission is “To provide hope in the communities we serve through the right food and education . ” Serving six counties in Virginia’s Northern Neck and Upper Middle Peninsula as the only organization of its kind in the region, the food bank is committed to increasing its capacity to meet future demand, offer educational programs to children as well as clients with health-related dietary issues and increase the nutritional value of food provided locally and across the state of Virginia.”  One in eight neighbors in need struggle with food insecurity, making the services offered at the food bank critical for every struggling family, child and senior who deserves access to healthy, nutritious food.

The facility is modern. The picture shows the facility powered by solar panel. The food is gathered and this month placed in Helmut’s truck. (Cookie and Johnny who usually do this leg were away Wisconsin).

Thanks to Denise, Catherine, Andrea and Helmut who helped to gather the food in June.

The Village Harvest at June– increase in numbers

For the first six months of 2022, the Village Harvest served 543 people compared to 535 in 2021. Most of the shoppers came during first quarter through the 2nd quarter showed most of the increase. This is the first increase since 2019 during the first six months of the year

The actual pounds were down from 7,664 to 7,590. Pounds per person were also down from 14.33 to 13.98. However, we are above the level of the pre-pandemic period with the best figure then at 11.67. At $6 a pound, the 2022 figure is just under $84 in value.