Pair of grants strengthen Bounty & Soul programs
Black Mountain nonprofit receives $45,000 for core services
The Valley Echo
February 2, 2021
Heaven Valentine gleans produce from a field at North River Farms, which partners with Bounty & Soul. Photo courtesy of Bounty & Soul
Long before the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic made food insecurity a new reality for many across the country, Bounty & Soul was working to address the issue in the Swannanoa Valley through an array of programs that provide nutritious produce and educational resources with no charge.
While the demand for those services has surged 187% since the onset of the global health crisis, a pair of grants from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and The Western North Carolina Bridge Foundation will directly support and strengthen the Black Mountain-based nonprofit organization’s efforts.
The People in Need Grant, supported by CFWNC’s Janirve Legacy Fund, is given to area programs that promise significant help for economically-disadvantaged residents from 18 mountain counties. Bounty & Soul was awarded $20,000 in funding through the program, which gave $1.3 million through 74 similar grants to regional organizations in November of 2020.
The WNC Bridge Foundation, which serves “to be a catalyst for positive change throughout the 18 counties of WNC” through focusing on wellness, awarded Bounty & Soul $25,000 through its Impact Grant.
“We are incredibly grateful and excited to receive the generous support of these two outstanding foundations,” said Bounty & Soul founder and executive director, Ali Casparian. “With the unprecedented increase in food insecurity , an economic crisis and a global focus on health, the investments in our core programs from CFWNC The Community Foundation of WNC and WNC Bridge Foundation could not come at a better time.”
Demand for services from Bounty & Soul, which operates two weekly free produce distribution markets in Black Mountain, has increased 187% during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pair of grants awarded to the nonprofit organization will help strengthen those programs. Photo by Fred McCormick
The programs offered by Bounty & Soul are designed to address the intersections of food, farms and health through a lens of equity, inclusion and sustainability. The grant funding will go directly to the Produce to the People program that works to meet the needs of the community by distributing thousands of pounds of nutritious food through weekly markets; The Farmers Alliance program which supports the delivery of donations and purchases from local farmers/growers and businesses and The Rooted in Health program that provides health & well-being educational resources through in person, print and virtual platforms.
“The importance that fresh, healthy food plays in our neighbors’ lives has never been more clear,” WNC Bridge Foundation President and CEO Scott Buchanan said. “WNC Bridge Foundation is pleased to partner with Bounty & Soul as they continue to provide and deliver not only nutritious food but also valuable educational tools for our community.”
“CFWNC is pleased to support the work of Bounty & Soul,” said Senior Program Officer, Virginia Dollar. “Fresh nutritious food and opportunities for education and community are crucial to many whose lives continue to be impacted by the pandemic and resulting, economic downturn. Bounty & Soul’s collaborative work brings together food, farms and health in ways that benefit the broader community.”