20 minute read
Fresh Produce, Delivered Will Kornegay is closing the gap between food excess and access
from 2021-09-EU
Will Kornegay Ripe Revival Market’s Rocky Mount warehouse
Fresh Produce, Delivered
Will Kornegay is closing the gap between food excess and access
By Bridgette A. Lacy | Photos courtesy of Ripe Revival Market
In early 2020, Will Kornegay and his sister, Laura Hearn, were gearing up to expand distribution of locally sourced gummies produced through the company they co-created, Ripe Revival. And then the Covid19 pandemic hit. Retailers were no longer accepting new vendors; but Will saw an opportunity to launch a new project.
That April, he pivoted to sell boxes of meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables — sourced from North Carolina farms in season — for delivery to consumers’ front doors.
He focused his new company, called Ripe Revival Market (riperevivalmarket.com), on three pandemic challenges: consumers who wanted to avoid grocery stores and needed groceries delivered to their homes; Eastern NC farmers and local food distributors who needed new markets for their goods as restaurants, schools and other institutional buyers scaled back their operations; and the rising number of families experiencing food insecurity.
He also created the company’s Community Supported Produce Box, where purchasers receive a box of produce for themselves and a second box is donated to a North Carolina family struggling to access healthy food options.
In an effort to reduce food waste, the community-supported boxes feature 10 to 12 pounds of good but imperfect fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes with blemishes or fruits that are misshapen.
“It helps the farmer because it’s produce they couldn’t sell at a grocery store,” Will says. “It’s perfectly edible, but grocery stores won’t buy it.”
“Forty percent of produce is lost and left in the field every year because it’s considered ugly,” he continues. “At the same time, one in seven families in the U.S. face food insecurity. I want to bridge the gap between excess and access.”
Ripe Revival Market’s delivery area includes homes in Beaufort, Craven, Cumberland, Durham, Edgecombe, Greene, Lenoir, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pitt, Wake, Wayne and Wilson counties.
“We distribute free boxes to families in Nash, Edgecombe, Wilson and Halifax counties,” he says.
Liz Lord, the senior engagement director for the Harrison Family YMCA in Rocky Mount, says families have been grateful and happy to receive fresh produce.
“We serve Nash and Edgecombe counties. A lot of food pantries have canned goods but not fresh, local produce. We deliver Will’s produce boxes to families,” Liz says. “There are a number of families that face transportation issues. They don’t have a vehicle, or gas money. Getting to the food can be a real issue. It’s hard if you live in a mobile home park in the county, or neighborhoods in the city, where they have to walk a tremendous distance. They don’t have a good way to access the supermarket, grocery stores.”
Will, a Rocky Mount native, always wanted to work in agriculture.
“My family didn’t farm, but I loved that lifestyle,” he says.
After graduating from NC State University with a bachelor’s in business administration and a concentration in marketing, he moved to Snow Hill. There he worked for the “Sweet Potato Man” himself, Bobby Ham, president of Ham Farms.
“It was my first job,” Will says. “I was immersed in produce and was able to see a large-scale operation of food production, processing and produce packaging. I gained an appreciation of farming, and began to realize small farmers needed help to utilize 100 percent of the crops.”
As a result, one of Will’s missions has become educating people about ugly produce.
“Just cut that defect out of it, it’s fine to eat,” he says. “It’s okay if it has a small crack or a small hole. That is just something that happens to fresh produce. It might have veins on it. Perfectly edible. We need to change how we look at that.”
Bridgette A. Lacy (bridgettelacy.com) is a freelance writer and the author of “Sunday Dinner, a Savor the South cookbook” by UNC Press.
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5 Lessons from Expert Educators
Savvy advice for teachers, parents of young learners
Each school year offers exciting opportunities for little learners to discover and explore new topics and master new skills. These tips from award-winning educators at KinderCare can help parents as well as teachers. You can find additional resources for helping young children succeed at kindercare.com.
1Communication is key Making time to connect gives parents and teachers opportunities to build important bonds. Communicating with the teacher about habits and any unique needs of a child can help a teacher better understand him or her. Also, teachers can provide families with a sense of reassurance their children are being recognized and cared for as the unique people they are by regularly sharing stories and observations about a child’s progress.
2Never give up on a child Each child faces unique hurdles as he or she climbs the educational ladder, with some facing more challenges than others. Parents can become openly disappointed, puzzled or stressed. For teachers, it can be frustrating to tailor lesson plans to meet each child’s individual needs. However, Joan Coberg, a teacher of 40 years, recommends one very important trait: patience. As Joan puts it, never give up a on child, be respectful, and always lead with love and kindness. 3 Be willing to change Consistency and structure are important for establishing routines, but it’s also helpful to have an open mind and to stop an activity when children lose interest. Be observant, flexible, and willing to rethink schedules and activities.
4Let children choose their paths School days often include activity time when students can explore interests like art, science and music. When it’s time for activities, try letting children choose what they’d like to do first. This can also help foster independence while easing transitions, according to Hattie Mae Covington, a toddler teacher of 45 years. It also opens the door for parents and teachers to cheer on their students for succeeding in activities of their choosing.
5Recognize accomplishments “Kids, especially young children, love to be recognized and rewarded for doing good work,” Hattie Mae says. “High fives and smiley face stickers go a long way toward encouraging them and helping them be successful. Celebrating students for their accomplishments can be a meaningful way to create bonds that support their ongoing interest in learning,” she adds.
Other ways parents can celebrate their children’s successes include displaying artwork, ribbons and medals in a rotating display in plastic frames, a corkboard or the family’s refrigerator, and allowing their children to pick a favorite meal or side dish for dinnertime or take them for a special treat, such as frozen yogurt.
Health-Conscious Remodeling
Make your health a priority when redoing rooms
Remodeling in your home can be liberating, but a little scary at the same time. There can be many unknowns, including what you might uncover.
Hazardous materials must be addressed, and possibly removed, if exposed during a remodeling project. There are also some materials that should be removed for a healthier home environment.
Whether materials “must be” or “should be” removed depends on several factors. It is always wise to consult with trained professionals when you encounter hazardous materials, such as members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (remodelingdoneright.com).
The complete removal of all hazardous materials is preferred, but budget is often a hindrance. Exploring your options may reveal a lower level of acceptable and more affordable reduction of hazardous materials.
Demolition Most common residential hazardous materials are not hazardous if they remain in a dormant or undisturbed location. Typically, they become hazardous during the demolition phase when they are ground, cut, bumped, scraped or disturbed in some way, causing the materials to become airborne and inhaled. Examples of common hazardous materials include:
■ Lead-based paint, which can be found on anything that is painted or varnished such as windows, millwork, cabinets, siding, walls and other surfaces. ■ Asbestos, which was once commonly used in a wide range of materials such as pipe or duct insulation; flooring tiles or sheet goods; ceiling tiles and plaster; wall and attic insulation; and plaster used as a binder. ■ Silica, which is exceptionally dangerous during saw cutting processes where dust is created. ■ Mold, which can become airborne and inhaled or ingested when spores are disturbed. Any visible or detectable mold should be removed, and the surfaces cleaned or removed. High concentrations of mold should be addressed by trained professionals. ■ Lead water lines are primarily hazardous after water sits in the lines for some time prior to consumption, although contamination still occurs during normal flow rates. ■ Dust, which can be hazardous to some individuals who are sensitive or have breathing-related issues. Dust barriers and negative air enclosures can help minimize, but not eliminate, dust contamination to the rest of the home. Commercial dust “scrubber” filtering systems can significantly reduce dust contamination.
Installation Due to stronger demand from homeowners, you’re likely to find many products and systems for a healthier home. They include: ■ Low volatile organic compounds, which limit the amount of off-gassing of the materials used in the manufacturing process. Typically, these are paints, stains, varnishes, carpeting and vinyl products. ■ Air purification systems, which may involve ozone, pleated filters, high-micron filters, electrostatic filters or UV light systems, among others. ■ Dehumidification systems designed to keep the relative humidity levels in a safe range to prevent mold growth. ■ Exhaust fans in baths, kitchens, lower levels and workshops, installed to discharge smells, smoke, fumes and humidity. ■ Radon systems designed to exhaust radon gases to the exterior.
—Familyfeatures.com
IN THIS ISSUE
NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK
KICKING OFF OUR FIRST GIVING CAMPAIGN
SEPTEMBER 2021 CONNECT
ENERGYUNITED ' S MONTHLY MEMBER NEWSLETTER
One of the best parts of my job is witnessing how change positively impacts our community. While this can often bring about uneasy feelings, the change that I’ve been able to participate in during my tenure is truly amazing, specifically the push to integrate more electric vehicles with the infrastructure to support it, and the literal change that comes with rounding up your bills for the EnergyUnited Foundation.
This month is momentous for two reasons, the first being that it marks the beginning of National Drive Electric Week and serves as a reminder of all the amazing progress we’ve achieved to make electric vehicle ownership and maintenance attainable; and the second is that it signifies the 25th anniversary of the EnergyUnited Foundation and all the good it’s been able to accomplish thanks to our members’ generosity.
EnergyUnited is a member of Plug-In NC, a statewide advocacy group that supports plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption and raises awareness of the environmental benefits of driving an electric vehicle. Within the past year, we’ve grown our EV infrastructure base to better support electric vehicles within our member base. We expanded our electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to include two new stations in Statesville and Mocksville. Both chargers are DC fast chargers, meaning you can charge up your electric car in no time and carry on with your busy lives.
Currently, there are approximately 20,000 electric vehicles registered in North Carolina and over 2,100 charging stations outlets with approximately 1600 in our system alone! These numbers will only increase in the years ahead as price options and additional vehicle options become available. The National Drive
Electric Week is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about why going electric might be right for you, weighing the cost and maintenance benefits, and even taking an EV out for a test drive.
This month, we also take a look at the profound impact of the EnergyUnited Foundation, which is funded by Operation Round-Up. During the month of September we celebrate the 25-year anniversary and those who helped get the Foundation off the ground. Without these individuals, we wouldn’t have been able to donate more than $7 million dollars since its inception and make the differences in the lives of our members and the communities we serve.
And if you feel called, please consider donating to the 25th anniversary giving campaign that we feature on page 9. I know the support will be very much appreciated within our communities.
Sincerely,
H. Wayne Wilkins
To learn more, visit EnergyUnited.com/ electric-vehicles or better yet, sign up to participate in National Drive Electric Week at DriveElectricWeek.org.
*Source: NC Clean Energy & Technology Center.
celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the
ENERGYUNITED FOUNDATION
As a co-op, EnergyUnited is different from other energy providers. Our ethos has always been to empower lesser-served areas and give people the power (literally) to live the life they want and deserve. And the same can be said for the EnergyUnited Foundation. Here we take a look back at all the good that the Foundation has done, and some of the amazing people who have helped it along the way, including you, our members!
The Foundation was born from an idea in the early-mid 1990s, fully taking shape as what we know it to be today in 1996. Dusty Rhodes and R.B. Sloan acted as the primary agents in getting this charitable portion of our co-op up and running. Follow along as we dive into the beginnings, the incorporation, and how the Foundation continues to serve our community.
DUSTY
RHODES, EnergyUnited Communications Director The EnergyUnited Foundation was by far one of the best things I was ever involved in, and it all started with the merger of Crescent EMC and Davidson EMC. At the time, R.B. Sloan was the CEO of Crescent EMC and Wayne Wilkins was the CEO of Davidson EMC and together Operation Round“
Up and the idea of a foundation was born. But it was no small task—what started as a small idea
in 1994 finally got off the ground in 1996 with the
founding of the EnergyUnited Foundation. At the time - members weren’t quite sure what to think, but with some patience and hard work we were able to show members just how meaningful and important this outreach really was. R.B. and I worked closely together to make sure our members fully understood just how impactful it was (and still is), and for that I am grateful.
R.B. SLOAN, Former
CEO of Crescent EMC & EnergyUnited
Together with Dusty Rhodes, we laid the groundwork for what is now known as the EnergyUnited Foundation. It was a way to
support others in our community that was not determined by any one individual, but by a voluntary board comprised of co-op members and community
members. Setting it up this way allowed us to do a lot of really neat things and serve the members of our community who needed it most. This also set the frame for many of our Cooperative Principles. with the Foundation, we were growing as a co-op and the needs within the community continued to grow more and more. The applicants increased, and the different organizations increased and diversified. EnergyUnited has been able to continue serving in the community in a really large and meaningful way. It’s really fantastic to see the
work continue and know that I played a part in getting it there, however small it was.
DEBRA CITTA, EnergyUnited
Foundation Administrator
As Dusty mentioned, there was a lot of hard work that went into starting it up, but it has helped a lot of people over the years. That feels really amazing to know, that what started as a small, humble effort has been able to grow to positively impact so many in our community.
DORIS BROWN,
VP of External Services
My path with the Foundation began in 1999, and the Foundation was placed under my portfolio at the time. I didn’t necessarily seek to become involved, but I was so glad I ended up growing the Foundation and the awareness around it. Within my five-year term I had worked for EnergyUnited full time from '98 –’04 doing marketing but left the company when my oldest daughter was born. Despite being a new mom I picked up part-time work here and there, and one day, I got a call from Carol Leach who asked if I’d be interested in becoming the new Foundation Administrator. I interviewed with Wayne and Carol and all that and it seemed like a perfect fit! The hours were great with younger kids, I was already familiar with the company, and was excited...
story continued on page 6 >
R.B. Sloan Jr., Manager of Operations in 1977, giving a safety demonstration
... to get back in the working world. Eleven years later and here we are. Despite my long tenure in this role, there are always those stories and situations that really remind you why you do it.
For example, in December 2020 we gave to 19 food pantries and got to meet some of the neatest people. We tried to pick some food banks that we maybe hadn’t even funded before. A mother and her two daughters had started couponing and got so much food they ended up starting a food pantry and before they knew it, were feeding hundreds of people and following through on all fronts to see how they could help even further. It’s so neat to know there are people who have a heart like that to take care of people and take on the challenges.
And to the members who opt in to Operation Round-Up, the Foundation really wouldn’t be what
it is today without you. It may seem trivial and non-impactful but you would be amazed at how quickly it can add up. Whether you donate your change every month or are looking to become more involved in the community, I can tell you that being part of the solution for people who really need it is such an awesome feeling.
JANE EVERHART, Former Foundation Board Member
I grew up in a co-op family. My dad was the president of the Davidson EMC before they merged with Crescent EMC, so I guess you could say that being involved with my local cooperative is in my blood. But even despite this, being a board member
of the Foundation really profoundly
shaped me. You begin to realize how much a certain set of people live in their own little world existing in a fairly satisfied way. Being a part of this
Since its founding, we’ve been able to donate over $7,500,000 to nearly 5,000 individuals, households, and nonprofit organizations.
foundation gives you the opportunity to see the world as it really is. That some may not have all the things that you have. This foundation helped further cement my belief that we’re expected to help mankind.
WAYNE WILKINS,
CEO, EnergyUnited EMC
My relationship with the Foundation is a bit different than what many members assume. The Foundation itself is a completely separate entity from the EMC. It operates with its own board and bylaws, but I do have a role to review the overall objectives that are set in place. In the early days, of course, there was more oversight as it got up and running, but as it has matured the Foundation has become fairly autonomous. I still attend meetings occasionally and always come away from them feeling impressed. I think one of
the things that inspires me the most is the level of commitment and passion from our board members.
They’re incredibly kind to the community. They want to help, and they want to make sure the donations are made for the right reasons and to the most deserving causes. There is a lot of time and patience that goes into it. The board analyzes things very deeply and has a very discerning perception of these things. It takes a special person to understand the application and empathize with what need is the greatest. I’m continually in awe and amazement of what the Foundation does, and how they make our co-op great.
