Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors In Need

NEWSLETTER - MAY 2025

Spring Break Support, Summer Readiness, and So Much Gratitude

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Brighthouse Financial, we supported 81 families during spring break with $11,980 in grocery gift cards. What a blessing! The impact is real—here’s what two families shared:

“For your sincere generosity and support you have shown me and my child during financial strains and unforeseen circumstances. Because of you I have been able to continue feeding my family. Hallmark cannot print enough words for our appreciation.”

“OMG 😭 thank you so much! The cards are beautiful 💞. The message was definitely right on time because I was feeling down and defeated about a few things! Thank you for the gift card as well! The things you all do for us are appreciated more than you know. One day I pray I'm able to pay it forward!”

A wonderful team of volunteers gathered recently for our Blessing Bag Event, where they assembled 300 bags filled with hygiene products, snacks, and handwritten notes. ( items not covered by SNAP benefits but deeply appreciated by families in need). These bags are available via the pantry and through the counselors/social workers.

Looking Ahead: Our summer food support will be distributed to school counselors and social workers on May 30. Your continued support makes all of this possible. Thank you for helping ensure no family in our community goes hungry during the school summer break.

—Heather & the Ballantyne Families Team

Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors In Need

www.ballantynefamilies.org

Pantry Update

We’re excited to share that our pantry now offers Blessing Bags, which include essential hygiene items. Each bag contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wipes, a razor, lotion, a snack, and an encouraging note. These will also be made available to school counselors to distribute to students in need.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to Ballantyne Ridge High School, Miller Street Dance Studio, and Mrs. Francis’s class at Ardrey Kell High School for organizing food drives that helped keep our pantry shelves stocked.

Thanks to their generosity, we were able to provide groceries to 51 families in April.We are also incredibly grateful to our April pantry volunteers: Pooja Satija, LaKeisha Watson, Amanda Freeman, Stephanie & Gabby Owens, Sapna Shetty, Vimmi Borkar, Amulya Deepak, Dominique Greve, Sara Seamann, Kim Pongetti, Susan Hicks, Melissa Graham, Alyssa Cowell, and Denise Oswald.

Your time and dedication make a real difference in our community. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Erin, Tammy, and Sheilah

Food Drives/Partnership Update

April was a busy month for food drives! These food drives keep our pantry stocked and available to families every week. Thank you to Alyssa Pupo, a student at Miller Street Dance Academy, for organizing a successful drive at the studio.

Special thanks to Ms. Parrish at Ballantyne Ridge High School for leading their food drive. We also want to thank Ms. Francis and her class at Ardrey Kell High School for collecting food. Our partnerships with our schools and the community are vital to our mission.

If you are interested in leading a food drive to help get the pantry stocked in August for the beginning of school, please reach out to lauren@ballantynefamilies.org.

Best,

Lauren Rosenbaum

Volunteer of the Month

ALLISON MARTIN

Congratulations on being selected Volunteer of the Month for

Ballantyne Families!

We asked Allison to share why she likes to volunteer for Ballantyne Families:

"I have loved getting to work with Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors in Need more closely this year. As a community member I have helped in various events they’ve hosted over the years. As an educator in a south Charlotte school, I have seen how helpful their amazing work can be. Getting to organize events and volunteer my time more often is such a privilege! I am excited to continue learning more about BFHNIN and supporting them anyway I can!"

Thank you so much for your support, Allison! Your efforts embody the spirit of what it means to really be the change you wish to see in the world.

What's Next

May 30 - Counselors and social workers will receive Summer Food Support to give to families in need to help them through the summer.

Our Needs

Let’s continue making a Difference Together.

Volunteer your time and talents: No matter your schedule or skills, there’s a place for you, your family members and friends to help our mission. If you're interested, please email Heather at heather@ballantynefamilies.org.

Here’s how you can help:
- Marketing: Help develop and execute a marketing strategy across all platforms to raise awareness and generate action.
- Social Media: Provide expert guidance on building and managing our social media presence.
- Appreciation Team: Perfect for communicators who are thoughtful and proactive.

Thank You

Thank you to Alli Martin for leading and executing the very successful Blessing Bag event! Big thanks to those who donated items via the Amazon Wish List to make the blessing bags and to the following volunteers who helped create the bags: Brian and Dylan Hakeem, Julie Muchoney, Nicholas Kadagishvili, Kristin and Sophia Salina, Maia, Reid and Tammy Menzel, LaKeisha Watson, Janet Taylor, Bob Trimpe, Bob, Jodi and Owen Mechem, Georgia and Jameson Nova, Angelica and Stella Flanigan, Lauren Rosenbaum, Melissa Graham, and Alli Martin and family.
Thank you to Taletha Williams, counselor at Endhaven Elementary. Taletha has been our key contact at her school for a few years and is moving onto a new position within CMS. Taletha has been an INCREDIBLE partner and advocate for families in need! We are really going to miss working directly with Taletha but wish her and her family all the best for the next adventure!
A heartfelt thank you to Lila R. and Anya V. for their thoughtful notes and beautifully decorated envelopes! Their creativity and kindness are making a meaningful impact on families in need through our summer giving campaign.

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14023 Lissadell Circle
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277
USA