CAPRON, Va. — A Southampton County, Virginia food distribution charity just pulled off one of its biggest efforts yet — giving away 45,000 pounds of fresh apples and surpassing one million meals served.
Family 4 Eternity received an anonymous one-time donation of 45,000 pounds of fresh apples delivered on a fully loaded 53-foot tractor-trailer. The organization needed a space large enough to unload and distribute them, so founder Charlie Bazdanes made a call.
"I called up Southampton Motor Speedway, and David Atkinson, the owner, he said, ‘absolutely, let's rock and roll. He said, let's rock and roll,’" Bazdanes said with a laugh.
People came out in large numbers, again emphasizing the need in the small community. For anyone who could not make it, Family 4 Eternity made special deliveries to schools, county offices, and people they passed on the street.
The effort extended well beyond Southampton County.
"That love we gave our community, they gave it right back tenfold to all of their neighbors to allow us to reach over 126,000 people through 21 counties in three states in 96 hours," Bazdanes said.
Bazdanes describes Family 4 Eternity as a food distribution charity dedicated to making sure there is a fresh, healthy meal for everyone. He says the work is personal.
"It just really hurts to see my neighbor just hurting, and God has given me the opportunity to serve him in a massive way," Bazdanes said.
The organization recently surpassed a major milestone.
"We just surpassed our 1 millionth meal with this last distribution," Bazdanes said. He said that is significant because they are a small operation.
Turnout at distribution events has grown significantly.
"They're coming in record turnouts. Serving 1,500 or 2,000 people in a few hours is not uncommon," Bazdanes said.
Bazdanes said when the team learned about the apple donation they had sprung into action to sort and distribute.
"Immediately - it was an immediate surge of food that was going into the toughest areas that was needed the most," Bazdanes said.
For Bazdanes, the message is simple.
"We love our neighbors. We got our communities back. They got ours," Bazdanes said. "We're not going to fail, no matter what obstacles, no matter what comes in our way we’re not going to fail."
Family 4 Eternity grows its own food, puts on community feeds, and hosts distribution events.
The organization recently learned it will receive $15,000 from the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program, which will go toward keeping those efforts running.
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