A food pantry that kept running through the storm
When storms knocked out power across western North Carolina, the Beacon of Hope Food Pantry in Marshall stayed open. Its 56 solar panels and three battery units, installed through a $100,000 grant from a $5 million state resilience program funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law, kept refrigerators running and lights on while the surrounding area went dark. The pantry serves about 1,700 families a month, a number that has climbed roughly 50% since federal food assistance cuts earlier this year.When storms knocked out power across western North Carolina, the Beacon of Hope Food Pantry in Marshall stayed open. Its 56 solar panels and three battery units, installed through a $100,000 grant from a $5 million state resilience program funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law, kept refrigerators running and lights on while the surrounding area went dark. The pantry serves about 1,700 families a month, a number that has climbed roughly 50% since federal food assistance cuts earlier this year.Expert summary pending. Showing the newcomer version.