Dear friends,

As we reach the midpoint of 2026, I am filled with gratitude for this incredible community and inspired by what we are accomplishing together. The need in our communities continues to grow — and so does PORCH.

In the first half of this year, together we have:

• Expanded our reach across the country. We've launched 9 new PORCH communities, added 47 new neighborhoods, and welcomed 18 new pantry partners into our network. And the food is flowing — non-perishable food donations collected through PORCH neighborhoods are up 20% compared to this time last year. That kind of growth doesn't happen without you.

• Been honored as a Band Together Mighty Giveback Impact Partner. We are proud to be part of Band Together's 25th anniversary celebration — a night of incredible music and meaningful community impact on Saturday, October 10th at Lincoln Theatre Outdoor Stage in Raleigh. As a Mighty Giveback Impact Partner, PORCH Communities benefits when our supporters show up, so we'd love to see you there! There's a special 4-pack ticket deal available right now — four tickets for $160, a great reason to gather your crew for a night that supports both great music and our mission. Grab your tickets here →
  
  
• Witnessed a need that keeps growing. Recently, I had the privilege of attending a meeting of neighborhood coordinators and pantry leaders at our PORCH chapter in Roanoke, VA, where a pantry leader shared something that I will never forget: today they are serving in a single day what they would have served in an entire week just one year ago. We are hearing this from more and more pantries. The families coming through their doors aren't a statistic — they're our neighbors. And they are counting on all of us to keep showing up.

That's exactly what PORCH is built to do — show up, consistently, every single month, in neighborhoods across this country. And with your continued support, we will.

With gratitude,

Christine Makhuli Cotton

CEO, PORCH Communities

Ann and Doug Sprouse are making a difference!

When Stefanie Fowler, leader of PORCH Roanoke, sat down with her longtime friend Ann Sprouse to share something she was passionate about, Ann did what any good neighbor would do — she listened. And then she recruited her husband Doug for some muscle.

That was August of last year. Today, Ann and Doug serve as Neighborhood Coordinators for PORCH Roanoke's North Lakes neighborhood, where 25 households donate monthly — sending a steady stream of food to the Roanoke/Salem Food Pantry, which serves more than 900 individuals every month.

What started with 30 letters tucked into newspaper boxes has grown into something neither of them expected: neighbors who budget $50 a month for food donations, a collection that topped 500 pounds last Thanksgiving, and a community that keeps showing up, month after month.

For Doug, the work carries a deeper meaning. Having relied on food assistance himself after an accident earlier in life, he understands firsthand what it means for a pantry shelf to be stocked when a family needs it most.

"I believe the more you give, the more you receive back," he says. "Not always in money or goods — but in the feelings. In knowing you're helping somebody who's been through what you've been through."

Ann's message to anyone on the fence? "It's very easy. It really is. And it doesn't have to be huge."

Could your neighborhood be next?

At PORCH Communities, growth doesn't happen by accident. It takes dedicated people working behind the scenes — supporting chapters, building relationships, and laying the groundwork for new communities to thrive.

We are thrilled to announce that two roles that began through an AmeriCorps VISTA grant have grown into permanent, full-time positions on our team. This milestone is only possible because of the generous, ongoing financial support of donors like you — and it reflects our commitment to building an organization that can sustain and scale the impact you make possible.

Alyssa Botkin joins our permanent staff as Chapter Support Coordinator. Alyssa came to PORCH through last year's VISTA grant, where she focused on marketing and communications. In her new role, she will work directly with chapter leaders and neighborhood coordinators to provide the tools, training, and support that keep PORCH neighborhoods thriving.

Jordan Cole continues with PORCH as our permanent Business Development Coordinator — a role she stepped into through the VISTA grant and has made her own. Jordan focuses on identifying new communities where PORCH can take root and help bring new chapters to life.

We are so grateful to have both Alyssa and Jordan as lasting members of the PORCH family.

Every bag of food collected in a PORCH neighborhood begins a journey. It travels from a neighbor's porch to a volunteer's car, from a car to a pantry shelf — and from there, into the hands of a family that needs it.

The Pantry: The Journey Ministry Pantry in Youngsville, NC knows that journey well. Each week, they welcome 175 to 200 clients — not as strangers moving through a line, but as members of a community they know by name. Every family receives a kit of fresh foods — meats, eggs, bread, fruits and vegetables — alongside the non-perishable staples that help keep families nourished, week in and week out. That combination is only possible because of the consistent, monthly donations that flow in through PORCH.

As Floyd Vick, Chairman of the Board, puts it: "Our pantry is run totally off of donations. When PORCH came in, it helped us immensely — because before that we were always having to buy food every week. Now we're at a place where we can skip weeks of buying food, and that has an enormous financial impact for us."

Each monthly food donation creates a ripple effect that reaches all the way to the families who depend on it most.

A Client Story: Meet one of the families served by The Journey Ministry Pantry. We asked her to share what the pantry means to her and her family — and her answer says it all. 

Stories like these are why PORCH Communities shows up every single month — and why your support makes all the difference. 

1 in 5 children lose access to healthy meals the moment school lets out for the summer. For families already stretched thin, that gap doesn't just mean empty stomachs — it means impossible choices. Groceries or the light bill. Lunch for the kids or gas to get to work. While summer brings relief for many, for far too many families it brings a quiet crisis that doesn't make the news.

That's exactly why PORCH Communities keeps showing up, month after month, all year long. Our neighborhood-based model means pantries have a steady, reliable stream of donations even when summer giving typically slows down — because the families who depend on those pantries can't afford for us to slow down too.

This summer, we're working to raise $100,000 to launch new chapters and strengthen existing ones — so more families can count on PORCH when they need it most.

Will you help keep the shelves stocked?