After 9 years, we celebrate Ali as she takes a well-earned sabbatical.
Nine years ago, Allison Casparian began Bounty & Soul at a time when she was experiencing food insecurity herself. It started with a table, a bouquet of flowers, fresh produce from MANNA FoodBank and a local community garden beautifully displayed to share with the community at no cost. One table turned to two, two to four, four to six…
Now, Bounty & Soul distributes free produce, local farm-fresh food, and health & wellness education to over 9,500 individuals per month through our Produce to the People(TM) markets (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays) and delivery program. Partnering with 46+ local farms, regional grocers, and MANNA FoodBank, Bounty & Soul provides the best local bounty and whole-food staples to people in our Appalachian community. In addition, healthy recipes and nutrition information, cooking demos and wellbeing classes are offered to EVERYONE in the community as part of creating health equity.
As Ali always says, this has been made possible because of the love and support of the community that has surrounded her and been part of its creation since the beginning: Countless volunteer hours, generous donors, and strong community partnerships. There are so many people who believe that healthy food is a right, and that all people should have access to nutritious, fresh food. This belief – in action, in this community – brings us here today.
And at every turn, at every moment’s growth, Ali has been there. She is an incredible woman with a vision, who has dedicated everything to this work, and who has in turn found her local family, her community, and her life’s purpose.
Now we are celebrating Ali as she takes a well-earned sabbatical. In all this time, she has taken only a handful of days off – and now she has 3 months to rest, to review, to hike, and reflect on all that has happened on this unbelievable journey and to dream of what is yet to come. There is simply so much to be thankful for, and we wanted to share our gratitude and the good news of Ali’s time off with all of you. She’ll return to us in November, and in the meantime our staff and board will be working, as always, to live up to her vision and make her proud.
Thank you so much for your support of Bounty & Soul! This is a nonprofit that has truly grown out of LOVE, and we are so honored to see how our community has come together to share and celebrate nutritious food, and health & wellness education with those in our mountains who need and deserve it.
During Ali’s sabbatical we are so grateful for Paula Sellars, our devoted Associate Director, who will be serving as Interim Executive Director. Please feel free to reach out to her with any needs at all, paula@bountyandsoul.org.