Staff report

SALISBURY — Project Santa received $3,000 from the Food Lion Feeds charitable foundation just in time to help feed local residents during the holiday season. Project Santa will use the funds to provide food boxes to those in need in the Denton and surrounding communities.
“It takes a community coming together to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
This gift from Food Lion Feeds charitable foundation will help many families in our community
enjoy the holiday season,” says Keith Garner of Project Santa.
Last week, volunteers from Project Santa, including founder Bobby Garner, met at the Silver
Valley Food Lion store to accept this generous gift.

For the past 20-plus years, Food Lion has provided food or grant money for the purchase of food for Project Santa. Keith Garner has thanked Food Lion for the many years of support on behalf of all those less fortunate not only in his community but all across North Carolina.

“Project Santa is proud to work with such a great company that is really compassionate and committed to meeting the need for hunger alleviation in the community,” Garner said.
In addition to financial support, Food Lion managers and staff offer assistance in putting
together the food boxes that Project Santa delivers each year. For the past five years, managers
have convened at First Baptist Church on food-delivery day to help unload, organize, and pack the food boxes for delivery.
Silver Valley Food Lion Manager Andrew Clodfelter said that over 375,000 food boxes will
be distributed this year, along with other grants like the $3,000 given to Project Santa.

Through Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion has worked to “create a better tomorrow” by working with customers and partners to eliminate the choices families are forced to make when they are hungry.
Project Santa has begun its 60th year of delivering toys, food and clothing to those less
fortunate in the Denton community. The project has already begun visiting families in the Denton area and will be doing so until Christmas Eve.

Project Santa will be operating out of the Project Santa building and the First Baptist Church, as
it has for 60 years.
Last year, Project Santa delivered toys to 643 children covering 253 families during the
Christmas season. Food boxes were picked-up or delivered to 249 families and individuals. 409 fruit baskets were delivered to individuals and shut-ins in the Denton community.
Anyone needing assistance this year can contact Bobby Garner at 336-817-1119 or Keith Garner
at 704-798-4242.