OCTOBER 2025

Hello Neighbors,

September was Hunger Action Month, and our community came together in an amazing way. Thanks to your generosity, our first-ever snack drive was a resounding success! I am proud to report that together we sold out our snack wish list and filled school counselors’ closets to make sure that no student will be hungry during the school day. Considering that 1 in 5 students in Ballantyne face food insecurity, this is terrific news!

Now it's time to look ahead to the holiday season. Starting later this month, we will begin collecting food, financial donations, holiday napkins, and encouraging notes to distribute to families in our community who are facing food insecurity during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays. Please watch your school news, email and social media for ways you can help. This year we have 97 local families to lift up and we are blessed to have this opportunity to serve. Please see more details about the collections below.

Thank you for your support over the past five years. If you need assistance, please contact your school counselor or social worker and they will let us know.

Thank you,

🍂 2025 HOLIDAY GIVING DRIVE 🍂

Five years ago, BFHNIN was created when the Ardrey Kell community came together to donate bags of food to families in need during the pandemic. This year we will provide holiday food bags during the Thanksgiving and winter breaks to families that have been identified by school counselors and social workers from all Ballantyne-area schools.

The drive will run from October 20-31, 2025 and we need your help! There are several ways you can participate:

Make a tax deductible financial donation to help us purchase grocery gift cards to use for perishable food items for holiday meals: Ballantyne Families' Holiday Drive

Sign up to help sort and pack food, provide holiday napkins, or write encouraging notes to go with each delivery: www.ballantynefamilies.org/2025-2026-holiday-givings **This volunteer opportunity is open to students in middle and high school.

Support your school or organization’s food drives - currently Ardrey Kell High School, Community House National Junior Honor Society, Elon Park Elementary, and Brighthouse Financial have food drives planned. Watch for more details from each group.

PANTRY UPDATE

September was busy - we fulfilled 53 pantry shops with food staples and hygiene items and stocked our shelves with items from the snack drive. In October we will be focused on replenishing inventory and getting ready for our holiday giving event. If you would like to help, please use our Amazon wish list or drop off donations to the PTO room at Community House Middle School in the black wagon labeled “Pantry”.

Our biggest needs this month are:

Canned fruits
Canned corn
1-2 lb. bags of rice
Gravy packets
Jelly
Brownie mix
Toothpaste
Feminine pads
Men’s deodorant

Volunteer in the Pantry: We need help this month! There are open spots for new and returning volunteers. All volunteers must be registered as a volunteer with Community House Middle School and will receive training during your first shift. Sign ups are now open on our Sign Up Genius.

Help Spread the Word! If you know someone who could benefit from the pantry who attends or works at a Ballantyne school, please have them reach out to their school counselor to get set up for help.

DONATE

AMAZON WISHLIST

PARTNERSHIPS / FOOD DRIVES

Elon Park Elementary’s Gardening Club grew kale and sweet peas in their garden beds. They donated their veggies to our pantry and they went out with pantry requests this week!

Ardrey Kell men’s soccer team kicked off a food drive this week. JV and Varsity are competing against each other - go Knights!

Food drives are important to keep our pantry well stocked. If you or a group you belong to would like to hold a food drive, please reach out to lauren@ballantynefamilies.org.

Volunteer Opportunity: Help families in need celebrate a birthday! This is a perfect way for scout troops, church groups, school clubs, and others to contribute by building Birthday Bags that include all supplies needed to bake a cake and celebrate! For more information click here or email lauren@ballantynefamilies.org.

WHAT'S NEXT

October 20-31 - Thanksgiving/Winter holiday drive
November 4, 2025 - Sort holiday donations in the Pantry
November 7, 2025 - Encouraging notes due
November 19, 2025 - Deliver Thanksgiving support to families
December 5, 2025 - Winter-themed paper napkins due
December 12, 2025 - Deliver Winter Break support for families

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to SUSAN HICKS for being named Volunteer of the Month! Susan started volunteering five years ago, helping with the first drive-through pantry at her church, South Mecklenburg Presbyterian. Since then, Susan continues to help in the pantry with shopping and driving. We asked her why she enjoys volunteering for BFHNIN:

“I think it is so important to help neighbors in our own community and show our youth that many hands can make light work. One person can make a difference in someone else's life.”

Thank you for all you do, Susan!

COUNSELOR SPOTLIGHT

School counselors are the critical link between our services and students in need. We treasure each and every one of them! Please meet TAMMY ROBINSON-POPE, the school counselor at Rea Farms STEAM Academy.

About Tammy:

I am from Robeson County, NC, home of the Lumbee Tribe.
I received my Masters in Education from NC State University with a concentration in counseling.
I gained experience as a counselor at Southwest Middle School, Kennedy Middle School, and Marie G. Davis. I have been the middle school counselor at Rea Farms STREAM Academy since the school opened in 2020.
I pride myself on not just being a counselor for our students but for their families as well.
I am married to a Special Forces Army Veteran. We have four children and one granddaughter.
I enjoy dancing, fashion, exercising, traveling, and having fun with my family.

Tammy's excellent advice to parents:

"Something that I practiced myself was having an open mindset, allowing my children space to communicate openly. I gave them one hour to vent where they could share/talk without consequence. As a parent, you will hear things you don't want to, but you have to learn to listen to them. Most times, I found that my children resolved their issues just by talking while I listened. Give your child a safe space, allowing them to be who they are and listen with an open mind."

Thank you Tammy for all you do for our kids!

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE

🍎Support our Holiday Giving Drive:

Purchase grocery gift cards for families to buy perishable food: Ballantyne Families' Holiday Drive
Sign up to provide holiday napkins, write encouraging notes or help work in the pantry: www.ballantynefamilies.org/2025-2026-holiday-givings

🍎Help keep our pantry stocked through the Amazon Wish List

🍎 Volunteer in our pantry

DONATE

AMAZON WISHLIST

We are grateful to help families in need of food assistance and realize that other resources may be needed. We put together this resource guide to hopefully help with other unique circumstances.

14023 Lissadell Circle
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277
USA

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