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, who are still here, and we honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Understanding trends of the Village Harvest in May

Understanding trends of the Village Harvest in May

We are close to the results of 2021 after 5 months in 2022. For the year (2022) we are at 447 clients compared to last year’s 465. Overall pounds for 2022 are at 6,343 pounds which is close to last year’s 6,364. Like the clients figure it is statistically the same.

Looking at just the last two months together (April and May), however, shows a variation from the two months before that (Feb and March). Basically, Feb and March offset the results of April and May to allow for a similar year to date in May, 2022 to May, 2021.

Read more about the May 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.

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.