The Power of Giving Back: Local Businesses Unite to Fight Hunger in Our Community

From 700 pounds to 1,000: Assisting Hands and eight community partners are coming together to make a difference for local families through our annual food drive benefiting the Kennett Food Cupboard.

Giving Back Starts Right Here at Home

The strongest communities are built on compassion, connection, and a shared commitment to helping one another.

At Assisting Hands, we believe caring for others goes beyond the services we provide. It’s about showing up for our neighbors, building meaningful relationships, and finding ways to make a positive difference in the community we proudly serve.

That’s why we’re excited to bring local businesses and community organizations together once again for our annual food drive benefiting the Kennett Food Cupboard.

This year’s mission is simple but meaningful: collect more food, reach more neighbors, and demonstrate what we can accomplish when we work together.

And we’re setting our biggest goal yet!

From 700 Pounds to 1,000: A Community Challenge Worth Celebrating

In 2024, thanks to the generosity of our neighbors, local businesses, and community supporters, we collected an incredible 700 pounds of food for the Kennett Food Cupboard.

That’s 700 pounds of nourishment, kindness, and hope delivered to neighbors who needed a helping hand.

This year, we’re raising the bar.

Our 2026 goal is to collect 1,000 pounds of food!

That’s an additional 300 pounds of food that can help support local individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.

But this effort isn’t just about reaching a number. Every pound represents something greater: a meal on the table, a little less worry for a family, and a reminder that no one should have to face difficult times alone.

With the support of our community partners, we believe 1,000 pounds is within reach.

Stronger Together: Meet Our Community Partners

One of the most exciting parts of this year’s food drive is the incredible group of local businesses and organizations joining Assisting Hands in the fight against hunger.

We’re proud to recognize our participating partners and collection locations:

• Brandywine Living at Longwood
• Aventura at Pembrooke
• Friends Home of Kennett
• Harrison Hill
• ATI Physical Therapy
• Chase
• Christiana ER
• LCH Health and Community Services

These organizations represent different industries and services, but they share something important: a commitment to the well-being of the communities they serve.

From senior living communities and healthcare providers to financial services and local businesses, each partner brings a unique opportunity to inspire generosity among employees, residents, patients, customers, families, and neighbors.

Their participation demonstrates that giving back isn’t limited to one profession, one organization, or one group of people.

When local businesses work together, their collective impact can be extraordinary.

We’re grateful to each participating organization for helping turn this annual food drive into a community-wide effort.

Why Fighting Food Insecurity Matters

Food insecurity doesn’t always look the way we expect.

It can affect older adults managing limited incomes, working families balancing rising expenses, or individuals navigating unexpected financial challenges.

Sometimes, the people who need support are the very neighbors we see every day.

That’s why organizations like the Kennett Food Cupboard are so important. By providing access to food and essential pantry items, they help individuals and families facing difficult circumstances while strengthening the broader community.

At Assisting Hands, we understand the importance of dignity, independence, and compassionate support, particularly for older adults and families.

Those same values inspire our commitment to fighting hunger.

We believe everyone deserves to feel supported, valued, and connected to a community that cares.

And when we work together to address basic needs like food security, we’re doing more than filling pantry shelves. We’re helping build a stronger, healthier, and more compassionate community.

Small Acts of Kindness Create a Big Impact

One of the most powerful things about a community food drive is how easy it is for everyone to make a difference.

You don’t need to make a large donation to have a meaningful impact.

A few cans of vegetables, a box of pasta, a jar of peanut butter, or a bag of shelf-stable groceries can help support someone in need.

Imagine the difference we can make when every participating location encourages its employees, residents, families, and visitors to contribute.

One person donates a few items. Another brings a grocery bag. A family decides to participate together. A business encourages its entire team to get involved.

Before long, those individual acts of generosity become hundreds of pounds of food.

That’s the beauty of community philanthropy.

No contribution is too small when we’re working toward something this important.

How You Can Help Us Reach 1,000 Pounds

We’re inviting our entire community to join Assisting Hands and our participating partners in making this year’s food drive our most successful yet.

Here’s how you can make a difference:

1. Donate nonperishable food items. Pantry staples such as canned vegetables, soups, pasta, rice, peanut butter, and other shelf-stable foods can make a meaningful contribution.
2. Visit a participating collection location. Support the drive by dropping off donations at one of our participating partner locations.
3. Spread the word. Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors about our 1,000-pound goal.
4. Encourage others to give. Invite your workplace, community group, or social circle to participate.

Every donation brings us closer to our goal, and every person who gets involved helps extend the reach of this important effort.

More Than a Food Drive: Building a Culture of Caring

At Assisting Hands, compassion is at the heart of everything we do.

Every day, we see how much a helping hand, a kind word, or a thoughtful gesture can mean to someone.

Our annual food drive is an opportunity to extend that same spirit of care beyond the home and into the neighborhoods and communities around us.

We’re especially proud to stand alongside Brandywine Living at Longwood, Aventura at Pembrooke, Friends Home of Kennett, Harrison Hill, ATI Physical Therapy, Chase, Christiana ER, and LCH Health and Community Services in supporting this mission.

These partnerships are a reminder that when businesses invest in their communities, everyone benefits.

Together, we’re not simply collecting food. We’re building connections, inspiring generosity, and demonstrating that kindness is something we can all put into action.

Help Us Turn 1,000 Pounds Into 1,000 Reasons to Smile

Last year, our community came together to collect 700 pounds of food.

This year, we’re reaching for 1,000 pounds, and we need your help to get there.

Whether you’re donating a single item, filling a grocery bag, or encouraging others to participate, you’re helping make a difference for neighbors throughout our community.

To our participating businesses and organizations, thank you for your generosity, partnership, and commitment to giving back.

And to everyone who contributes, thank you for reminding us what makes this community so special.

Together, we can fight hunger, spread kindness, and make sure our neighbors know they are never forgotten.

Join Assisting Hands and our community partners in supporting the Kennett Food Cupboard. Every pound counts. Every act of kindness matters. And together, we can reach 1,000!