Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors In Need

NEWSLETTER - JUNE 2025

Wrapping Up the School Year with Gratitude

Celebrating our five-year anniversary, Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors In Need had its biggest year yet—and we are so grateful for your support. As we close out the school year, we’re reflecting on just how much good can happen when a community comes together.

We are thrilled to share that our summer giving campaign was a success! On May 30, we distributed support to 84 food-insecure families through our incredible school counselors and social workers. Thanks to your generosity, those families received:

Over $60,000 in grocery gift cards
Heartfelt notes of encouragement from the community
A custom Summer Resource Guide to help them navigate the months ahead
A way to reach out for emergency food support during the summer

This is the largest amount of summer support we’ve ever provided—a true testament to what’s possible when people care deeply and act boldly.

We continue to be moved by the words of those we serve:

“Words can not express my heartfelt gratitude for the help you have given myself and my family. To know my kids will not have to worry about how they will eat is a true blessing.” – A grateful parent

And from one of our dedicated counselors:

“I gave support to a staff member today, and she cried. Please know that you are making a difference.”

These are just a few of the many impacts this year that your support has made possible:

2,653 people served
356 pantry requests
1,304 bags of food given
$141,320 in groceries and gift cards given

📊 [Click here to view our 2024 Impact Report]

We’ll be taking a short break from newsletters this summer, but our work doesn’t stop—and neither does our gratitude for all of you.

Wishing you a joyful and restful summer!

We look forward to continuing this important work together in the new school year.

With heartfelt thanks,

Heather and the Ballantyne Families Team

Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors In Need

www.ballantynefamilies.org

Pantry Update

As we wrap up another incredible school year, we want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who made our Food Pantry a success. This school year, we were able to fill an amazing 354 pantry requests—a true testament to the strength and generosity of our community. We could not have done this without the time, energy, and compassion of our dedicated volunteers, as well as the generosity of those who donated. Because of you, we were able to meet the needs of so many families and make a real impact. Thank you for showing up, giving back, and making a difference!

We’ll be sending out information in early August, including a SignUpGenius link for volunteers interested in helping out in the pantry during the upcoming school year. At that time, we’ll also share our updated Amazon Wish List and details about food drives to help restock our pantry shelves. The food pantry will officially reopen on August 28, 2025—we can’t wait to kick off another great year with your support. See you then!

Thank you to our May and June Volunteers: Vimmi Borkar, Amuyla Deepak, Serina DelGuzzo, Melissa Graham, Sangeetha Gurumurthy, Denise Oswald, Kim Pongetti, Natalia Russo, Pooja Satija, Sapna Shetty, Andrea Whitmore, Amanda Freeman and Susan Hicks.

Sincerely,

Erin, Tammy, and Sheilah

Food Drives/Partnership Update

Food drives are what keep our pantry stocked and available to our families on a weekly basis. Thank you to all the schools and community members/groups that held a food drive for us. Collectively, you donated 9,907 items which equates to 7,628 lbs of food! Wow!!

If you or a group you are a part of would like to host a food drive in August, we are looking for a group to help us get the pantry restocked. Please reach out to lauren@ballantynefamilies.org.

Best,

Lauren Rosenbaum

Volunteer of the Month

VIMMI BORKAR

Congratulations on being selected Volunteer of the Month for

Ballantyne Families!

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

"Each day, I will help at least one person and make them smile. It's my selfish path to peace and happiness.It's simple, but it grounds me. A little kindness goes both ways."

Thank you so much for your support, Vimmi! Your time and talent mean so much to our organization.

What's Next

Mid-August - Be on the look out for our email with a link to our Amazon Wish list to fill the pantry and volunteer opportunities including the pantry

Our Needs

Help Wanted: Volunteer Social Media Intern (2025–2026 School Year)

Are you a student with a passion for social media, storytelling, and making a difference? Join us as a Volunteer Social Media Intern for the 2025–2026 school year!

As our social media intern, you’ll help us raise awareness, grow our online presence, and engage our supporters through our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

What You’ll Do:

Create and schedule engaging social media content
Highlight our events, impact stories, and volunteer opportunities
Assist with photography and video content (as available)
Track engagement and suggest improvements
Collaborate with a passionate, mission-driven team

What You’ll Gain:

Real-world experience in nonprofit marketing and digital communications
Portfolio-worthy content and measurable results
The chance to make a meaningful impact in your community

Time Commitment:
Flexible hours, with an average of 1–3 hours per week during the 2025–2026 school year. Ideal for high school or college students looking to gain experience while giving back.

Interested? Email Sally Pickard by July 1st at bfhninsocialmedia@gmail.com and tell us why you’d be a great fit!

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. Here’s how you can help:

Marketing: Help develop and execute a marketing strategy across all platforms.
Appreciation Team: Perfect for communicators who are thoughtful and proactive.

If you're interested, please email Heather at heather@ballantynefamilies.org

Thank You

Thank you to Melissa Graham and Denise Oswald for their leadership and hard work running the spring break and summer giving campaigns. Both efforts were successful because of your time, effort and passion to make a difference! Also, thank you to Julie White who organized all of the encouraging notes and created the summer resource guide which is an incredible resource for our families!

Thank you to the Ballantyne Rotary Club for your generous donation and support!

Thank you Aldi and Food Lion for your support in supplying us with grocery gift cards to purchase items for the food pantry.

We are so grateful to the following volunteers who shared their time and creativity by writing encouraging notes and decorating envelopes for our giving campaigns: Jovan A., Emma B., Sruthi G., Emily H., Eliza M., Hayden M., the Pupo Family, Lila R., Kalp S., Logan S., Susan S., Anya V., Olivia W., Knights View ES, and the many amazing volunteers who stopped by our High-5 Anniversary Celebration to spread kindness through their words. Your support helps uplift and inspire others; thank you for making a difference!

Volunteer Signup

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14023 Lissadell Circle
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277
USA