The business’ generosity sees meals distributed nearly each week, all going to organizations that will get that food to people with food insecurities.

The business is a distributor for Go To Meals, which is an organization based out of Olean. Meals for the organization are sold right out the store. West Main Mercantile owner Ange Marra stated that Go To Meals packs the store’s coolers every Sunday with a new menu for the week. Whatever food is left at the end of the week the business attempts to use to aid members of the surrounding communities.

Marra stated that the business typically takes what food is remaining on Fridays and attempts to distribute it to organizations that will give it to those that need it most. Marra said that the food has gone to a host of groups including the Fluvanna Community Church, Bethel Baptist Church, the Jamestown Tarp Skunks, and most recently the United Christian Advocacy Network City Mission. Marra also mentioned that some of the meals were donated to a coach at a Jamestown school. Many of the roughly 30 children on the team relied on food from the school, according to Marra.

“We know that people are struggling, and I know the food banks are struggling. We really couldn’t live with ourselves if we just took the food and threw it away in a dumpster,” said Marra. “We feel better about ourselves by donating it back to people that need it.”

(From left) Falconer resident Melissa Paternitti and West Main Mercantile owner Ange Marra

The most recent donation to UCAN City Mission comes at a time of increasing food instability, and was able to provide a significant number of meals to those in need. November also marks National Homelessness and Food Insecurity Awareness Month, an important time to think of those struggling within the community. The recent donation to UCAN provided meals to more than 300 people in need, according to community resident Melissa Paterniti.

At a time with so much uncertainty still surrounding government benefits, Bruce Baehr UCAN City Mission executive director, said the organization is going to see an increased need for its services. The influx of people in need of assistance is something that many food assistance organizations are seeing, causing some to struggle to meet demand. Baehr has stated that UCAN currently has enough food to provide to those it assists, yet donations such as this one continue to allow this organization to keep such security.

“We are happy to give back to the community, especially to people in need,” stated Marra. “With the cost of food right now I know that a lot of families are struggling, we’re just more than happy to help out.”