Community Comes Together At Family Support Center Food Distribution Event

The Barbour County Family Support Center conducted a major fresh food distribution out of their home in the Belington Golden Rule last Friday, January 26. Director Cathy Coontz-Griffith and her staff of Janice White, Megan Reed, and Liz Phares have been instrumental in providing food distribution and other services to Barbour County families over the past two years.

Last week the Center received a truckload of 11,000 pounds of fresh food including cabbage, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots that they have distributed to well over 200 families at the time of this writing. The produce will be available any time the Family Support Center is open until it is gone. Food pantry hours are 11-7pm at the Golden Rule on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and at the Junior Community Center on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please call the family support center at 304-606-8087 with questions.

This community service was supported by more than 27 volunteers who helped unload the delivery truck, package, and distribute the vegetables. The Barbour County Family Support Center would like to extend their appreciation to the State Police, Barbour County Sheriff Department, Belington Police, Barbour Office of Emergency Medicine, and Junior Police personnel for their help, as well as the many community members and individuals from the WV Ascend program.

Volunteers prepare to repackage cases of produce for distribution.

The Golden Rule Building started its life as a wholesale grocery, and as the heavy loads of produce came in through the old loading dock and the community showed up to work together, all present could feel the generous and giving spirit of the Shinn Family return to fill the well-used space with warmth and possibility.

Center Director Cathy Coontz-Griffith is excited to bring services to the Belington area and to serve Barbour County residents

Volunteers from the WV Ascend program came from Elkins to help.