Harvesting Hope on a Beautiful Evening — Now It’s Our Turn to Give Back

A few weeks ago, one of Eastern North Carolina’s most meaningful and beautiful tables was set at Rocky Mount Mills for Ripe for Revival’s Harvest Seed Dinner—an evening intentionally designed to bring together farmers, chefs, donors, business leaders, and community advocates around one shared mission: using food as a tool for restoration.

The Seed Dinner was created as a way to fund the “planting” phase of Ripe for Revival’s work—not just responding to hunger in the moment, but investing in the long-term systems that make sustainable food access possible. The event highlights North Carolina agriculture, celebrates local growers, and connects the people who grow our food with the people who help get it onto community tables.

This year’s sold-out, multi-course farm-to-table experience featured some of North Carolina’s most respected chefs and locally sourced ingredients from regional farms. The result was more than an elegant dinner—it was a powerful fundraiser that generated significant support for Ripe for Revival’s upcoming seasonal distributions, mobile markets, and community food programs across Eastern North Carolina.

The proceeds from the Seed Dinner directly fuel:• Large-scale community food distributions• Expansion of mobile market routes into underserved areas• Support for local farmers supplying fresh produce• Education, nutrition access, and food-equity programming.

In short, the Seed Dinner doesn’t just celebrate local food—it seeds the future of food access in our communities.

And that future is already touching thousands of lives. Across its service region, Ripe for Revival now operates in multiple counties, hosting dozens of mobile market stops and large-scale food distributions each year. In just one recent county program alone, R4R served nearly 800 families—impacting more than 3,000 individuals—by distributing over 40,000 servings of fresh food, including produce, proteins, eggs, and shelf-stable goods. Those numbers aren’t just statistics—they represent meals served, families supported, and dignity preserved.

Now, as seasonal demand continues to rise, Ripe for Revival is once again calling on the community to step in—and this time, it’s a moment the whole family can be part of.

On Monday, December 22, Ripe for Revival will host its Annual Christmas Food Distribution, and volunteers of all ages are invited to help pack and distribute food boxes and bags filled with hope and nourishment for families in need. This is a family-friendly volunteer opportunity—a powerful way to teach children the value of service while making a real, hands-on impact together.

Volunteer Shifts Include:• 8 AM – 12 PM: Pack food boxes & bags• 12 PM – 2 PM: Load vehicles & distribute• 2 PM – 5 PM: Breakdown• 8 AM – 2 PM: All-day volunteers welcome

Whether you can give one shift or the entire day, every hour directly translates into meals on local tables.

Not able to volunteer in person? You can still make a difference. Donations are also being accepted to support food purchases and distribution efforts, and community members are encouraged to scan the QR code on the volunteer flyer to sign up, give, or share the opportunity with friends, family, churches, and businesses.

For more information, you can also contact ashton@riperevival.com.

This is the kind of giving that connects generations—parents, children, neighbors standing side by side to serve their community.

If you’ve been looking for a meaningful, family-centered way to give back this season—this is it.