A Car Packed to the Roof, a Fridge Filled to the Brim, and Shelves Ready for Thanksgiving

If you’ve ever wondered what generosity looks like, it begins with a car stuffed to capacity with good food and even better intentions. Bags of produce, boxes labeled “EGGS,” and two weeks’ worth of love squeezed into every corner. That’s Ashley—our new CFN Manager—on the road for the Community Food Network, hauling about a ton of nourishment as part of the new Nutrition Exchange of SWMI pilot program.

Ashley brings a creativity and level of care to the CFN that feels like someone cracked open a window and let new energy breeze in. She’s thoughtful, wildly resourceful, and completely unflappable—even when her rearview mirror no longer exists under a mountain of onions.

Inside the building, the story continues. The refrigerator glows like a small, humble miracle: rows of milk, trays of eggs, breakfast items stacked like promises. And then there are the shelves—orderly, abundant, hopeful—filled with pantry staples and holiday essentials. This is the quiet beauty of preparation. The “we’ve-got-you” feeling that tells our members they belong, and they matter, especially as Thanksgiving approaches.

This week marks our members’ CFN meeting before the holiday, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, every household will head into the season with more than just food. They’ll have dignity. Stability. A little extra margin. This is what community looks like when it’s working the way it should.

And because hospitality is never one-size-fits-all, we’re also providing our Hispanic members with a special flour used for making arepas—a small but meaningful acknowledgment that culture matters at the table.

So to every donor, volunteer, partner, and prayer warrior: thank you. You helped pack the car. You helped fill the fridge. You helped stock the shelves. You helped make Thanksgiving possible.

Because kindness is also contagious—and in this season of gratitude, you’ve spread it beautifully.