First Church Partner Spotlight: Fresh Food Brings Nourishment and Hope
For Reverend Yolanda Sampson, the FRESHFARM Fresh Food Drive is a source of hope. As Director of Evangelism at First Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. in Northeast Washington, DC, Rev. Yolanda has spent years helping her community find light in difficult times. In fact, she’s the reason our Fresh Food Drive began 15 years ago.
In 2010, Rev. Yolanda and a member of the Church’s Evangelism Department approached FRESHFARM with an idea: collect fresh produce from our farmers markets so First Church families could enjoy wholesome, nourishing Thanksgiving meals. FRESHFARM gladly accepted the invitation to bring fresh, locally grown produce onto the tables of struggling families. Since then, the Church has been a partner in our annual Fresh Food Drive as well as a weekly food recovery partner at our H Street NE Market.
Food Is Hope
“Being able to eat fresh food on Thanksgiving gives struggling families the hope they desperately need to hold on just a little while longer,” Rev. Yolanda shared with FRESHFARM recently during a conversation to celebrate our long-standing partnership.
“Life can be so hard. It throws you all kinds of punches. Fresh food on Thanksgiving reminds people that they have not been forgotten,” she added as she remembered some of the most touching personal stories she’s witnessed.
Last year, a grandmother was going through chemotherapy while caring for her grandchildren. But it wasn’t the side effects that she was worried about: it was how to feed her family a Thanksgiving meal. Similarly, for a mother of ten, ramen noodles were the only thing on the Thanksgiving menu. A man who had just moved to town with his kids and wife was robbed at gunpoint and lost everything. At First Church, they all found comfort and hope in a wholesome Thanksgiving meal.
Each Thanksgiving, FRESHFARM partners with First Church and 15+ other food recovery organizations across the Washington metropolitan area to distribute meals and baskets filled with fresh, locally grown food to families in need. FRESHFARM raises funds from our community that we use to purchase food directly from our local farmers, and our recovery partners ensure it reaches families who might otherwise go without a holiday meal.
Over the years, Rev. Yolanda has seen the difference that access to fresh food can make: “Some in our community can’t pay their mortgage, their car, or even buy food. Some have a roof over their head, but their refrigerator is empty,” she said.
“Our partnership with FRESHFARM is second to none. We’re able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables that families wouldn’t normally be able to get. It’s a blessing. It gives people the nutrients and strength they need to keep going,” Rev. Yolanda added.
The Fresh Food Drive stands as a testament to what’s possible when a community comes together. What started as one pastor’s idea has grown into a powerful tradition of nourishment, dignity, and hope that brings donors, farmers, and community-serving organizations together.
We thank Rev. Yolanda and Elder Dr. Ralph Martino, Sr., senior pastor of First Church, for their partnership over the past 15 years and look forward to continuing to join forces to give hope to those in our community who are struggling.
