Augusta company donates to food pantry
by Bridget Cooke
A donation of $1,000 can go a long way for an organization in need, which is why Nortech of Augusta’s Plant Manager Jack Joles said the business decided to donate funds to the local food pantry for those in need throughout the community.
“We don’t have a concept of hunger,” Joles said. “We really can’t relate.”
For the Augusta Area Food Pantry, Coordinator Brenda Pettis said the gift can buy enough food to stock their facility for over a month, depending on need.
Nortech employs Augusta residents in its 65 people working on precision electronics manufacturing in its goal to serve original equipment manufacturers in three primary market areas, including industrial, defense and medical.
Joles said the company hopes to continue this practice annually and despite trying to provide for different types of local organizations, after having given the same amount to the food pantry in the previous year, they have found it to be the most deserving organization in the community.
Upon the donation, Pettis explained to Joles the daily struggle citizens of Augusta have with hunger, citing examples of hungry children looking for food as soon as they get to school on a Monday morning. Joles commiserated with the coordinator on the fact that the number of hungry people, and their children, is rising.
“It helps so much,” Pettis said of the donation. “When we get a check like this, it allows us to purchase a lot of product from Feed My People [Food Bank]. Feed My People keeps the cost down so we get more for our money.”
The pantry also sends backpacks with easily preparable food over the weekend to certain students. In total, the organization spends somewhere around $1,000 per month, which is why, Pettis said, the donation is valuable to the Augusta Food Pantry.
“I hope they realize just how important their part is,” Pettis said of the people who take the time to give to the food pantry.
Being able to help is something Joles said is especially remarkable, especially noting that those giving the funds have never had to deal with the dilemma of wondering how they would be able to purchase food.
“It’s an opportunity we really wish we didn’t have to fulfill,” he said. “We want to keep it local. I think it’s great because anytime you can feed more with less, it’s fabulous. We’re happy Nortech has taken it upon themselves to want to be part of the community. We’re happy to do it.”
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In September 2013, Cooke was hired as the editor of both the Augusta Area Times and the Tri-County News. She can be reached via ateditor@media-md.net or (715) 597-3313. Follow us on Twitter or check out our Facebook page for more updates!
