Fairlea, West Virginia (WVDN) On January 29, a successful community meal and winter clothes giveaway were held at the West Virginia University facility on the fairgrounds in Fairlea. The event, organized by the Greenbrier County Health Alliance in collaboration with the WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program, aims to give critical assistance to residents throughout the cold winter months.
The celebration began at 4 p.m., with free hot meals for individuals and families. Many people in the neighborhood have financial hardships, particularly during the colder months, when utility expenses rise. The event helped individuals experiencing food poverty and distributed winter apparel to neighborhood members who couldn’t afford warm coats, hats, gloves, and other cold-weather gear.
Along with the meal, attendees were able to pick up winter clothing, which helped many families in the community. The event was accessible to all community members, regardless of income, and organizers encouraged those in need to come.
This event is part of an ongoing initiative to combat food poverty and assist community individuals who are struggling to acquire appropriate winter apparel. Greenbrier County is notorious for its harsh winter weather, so the event attempted to provide inhabitants with the supplies they needed to stay warm. They also collaborated with the MTA to provide transportation to anyone who might have required it.
Although this event has ended, winter clothing contributions will still be accepted at several drop-off locations around Greenbrier County. The Greenbrier County Courthouse, Lewisburg City Hall, and the Greenbrier County Public Library continue to accept contributions of gently used or new winter clothes.
Terri Baker of the Center for Rural and Community Health and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine stated, “The main goal is to help those who are unhoused get the resources that they require; going through our program and completing the survey will automatically connect them to HUD (Housing and Urban Development).”
Baker also underlined the significance of keeping a manageable number of unhoused people in the area in order to secure financing for additional humanitarian initiatives. The number of individuals attending these events is directly related to future financing.
Those in charge stated that, while the event gives some relief at the time, the need for community assistance will persist throughout the winter. Local efforts are crucial in assisting unhoused and low-income folks throughout the winter months, and we aim to expand on this event for future projects. Those dealing with food and shelter insecurity found a safe haven at the event.
