NC Cooperative Extension Centers across the state are participating in a food drive, that will benefit their own communities, and is in conjunction with the 125^th Anniversary of NC Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) and 30th Annual NC Small Farms Week celebration sponsored by NC A&T which pays tribute to the state’s small scale growers. NC Small farms will be celebrated March 20-26 with the kick off scheduled March 21, 2016 in Vance County, home of the 2015 Small Farmers of the year, Louis and Magnolia Williams.

Community agencies and the faith-based community have joined forces to participate in the University’s 125^th Anniversary and NC Small Farms Week service project that is being led by Lonnette Marsh, Interim Regional Program Coordinator with the Cooperative Extension Program at NC A&T.

Locally the NC Central/Eastern Food Bank will be distributing bags of food to community members who are in need of food on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. The distribution will begin at 10am with student volunteers from Southern Vance High School’s BETA club assisting with the worthy cause. Citizens will receive disbursements using a drive through method, as bags will be bought to individual cars when citizens arrive at the site.

This project is being sponsored locally by St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Vance County Department of Social Services, Vance County Cooperative Extension Center, and the Vance County USDA Farm Service Agency and Rural Development.

Canned foods have also been collected in honor of 125^th Anniversary and NC Small Farms Week of NC A&T at the Vance County Cooperative Extension Center, Vance County Department of Social Services, Vance County Government Building, Henderson Vance Parks and Recreation, Bearpond Fire Department, YMCA, Vance County USDA Farm Service Agency and Rural Development, and Southern Vance High School. Foods collected will be donated to the food pantry at Shiloh Baptist Church.

–North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commitment themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.  In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

(This information was submitted to WIZS News in the form of a press release from Ann S. Burrows, Administrative Assistant, North Carolina Cooperative Extension–Vance County Center, 305 Young Street, Henderson, NC  27536, Phone: (252) 438-8188  Fax: (252) 492-3830, Email: ann_burrows@ncsu.edu)