On Sep. 24, 2018, people gathered beneath the starry lights of Hornsby Farms for Family Supper.
While some came as friends and others as strangers, together they believed in one thing – the initiative to fight hunger.
Proceeds from the night went towards Nourish, AL – a nonprofit founded in 2016 to address food insecurity in East Alabama’s own backyard.
Dr. Katie Walter, co-founder of Nourish and doctor at Pediatric Associates of Auburn, said one in four children are food insecure, which means they do not have access to affordable, nutritious food.
In partnership with Hornsby Farms, they hosted the first family supper for Nourish on November 11, 2016. That Thanksgiving week, they distributed baskets with produce and turkeys to families in need.
“We were able to raise over $3,000 to get the program started,” Beth Hornsby said. "We’ve been doing it every week since then."
Fundraiser dinners for Nourish, AL are held four times a year with regular family suppers once a month.
Anyone can buy tickets through their website at hornsbyfarms.com.
Ginny Lampkin, senior in biomedical science at Auburn, was a new attendee.
“Bringing people together to fight hunger over a shared meal is probably the best way to do it,” she said. “You get to talk to people from the community that you wouldn’t necessarily run in the same circle with.”
Local chef Caleb Fischer from Bow & Arrow, Christian Watson from The Waverly Local, and chefs from Amsterdam Cafe, Acre and The Depot prepared dinner.
Beef brisket, stewed beans and collard greens, loaded potato salad and smoked Gouda mac and cheese was served family style. The meal was topped with a chocolate espresso Pots de Crème dessert.
“It was a very tasty and balanced meal,” Elena McLaughlin, senior in nutritional science at Auburn.
The event emphasizes farm-to-table cuisine, and they use cloth napkins and wooden utensils to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
"A lot of people aren’t aware of hunger issues in their own backyard, so it’s neat that they’ve found an issue and are doing something about it," said Tessa Voss, Auburn senior in global studies.,
Follow them on Instagram at hornsbyfarms and nourish_al.
“We love being able to introduce new folks to what we’re doing, get them passionate about it, and maybe if they don’t stay here, they can take something back to their community to do the same,” Hornsby said.
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