Winning farmers able to help two causes | Community Spirit

Greg and Lori Black, local farmers from Tennyson were selected by the Monsanto Americas Farmers Grow Communities program in Warrick County to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit organization in their county that they felt strengthens their community. They chose to direct the money toward improvements at Tennyson Park.

This year, winning farmers from counties that were declared national disaster areas by the U.S.D.A. were also able to direct an additional $2,500 donation to a nonprofit organization that addresses community needs brought on by the drought.

Since Warrick County qualified for the national disaster status because of last summer’s drought, the Blacks were able to help Manna Market at Hope Central as the recipient of the additional $2,500.  Hope Central (A division of Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc.) is a Community Outreach providing guidance through instruction, education, provision of household needs, and delivery of the message of hope to residents of the Warrick County area experiencing challenges stemming from everyday life issues.

Money for Hope Central will be used to purchase food, household items for the Manna Market food pantry and diapers and wipes for its diaper bank known as the Bibs & Bottle Boutique. Since funding has been cut to the Tri State Food Pantry, they are having to purchase more food are seeing a dramatic increase in new clients over the past few weeks as well. 

Mana Market is currently serving an average of 450 families per month and they give out an average of 150 packages of diapers per month.  Shelves of food are nearly empty becaus of the decline in donations.

Representatives from Monsanto will be at the Tennyson Community Spaghetti Dinner on March 3, at 1PM to present the checks.