WILMINGTON — Last week, area leaders and businesses came together in an effort to combat child hunger across the Cape Fear. A fundraiser hosted by real estate agency Cape Fear Commercial at Ash Aziz’s Origins restaurant raised $50,000 for local nonprofit NourishNC.
Origins is Autumn Hall’s newest fine-dining establishment, having opened on Friday, May 13. CFC is the brokerage in charge of Autumn Hall and represented Aziz in the sale of three of his former properties in 2019.
READ MORE: NourishNC debuts expanded campus, launches ‘Market on Market’
ALSO: 22 restaurants in 24 years: Ash Aziz opens Origins in Autumn Hall
“Celebrating the opening of Ash’s newest restaurant was the perfect chance to show support for [NourishNC],” Brian Eckel, Cape Fear Commercial co-founder, said in a press release.
The nonprofit has been in the process of moving into its new digs, a 12,000-square-foot building located on 2.1 acres of land, at 3606 Market St. The nonprofit’s $2.1 million capital campaign funded the renovation of a former Chinese buffet restaurant so that it could quadruple its cold-storage space and double its capacity for storing non-perishable food items.
The move also is enabling NourishNC to launch a new program, Market on Market. MoM will provide families and children a place to shop for nutritious foods throughout the summer.
“This work is sorely needed during the summer months, when students lose their access to free and reduced lunches at school,” executive director Steve McCrossan said in a press release provided by Cape Fear Commercial.
The $50,000 CFC raised will stock the shelves of MoM throughout the summer, according to the press release.
“While getting to know the team at NourishNC, they’ve made it clear how serious a problem child hunger is in our region. And they’ve proven that their work is making a difference,” Eckel continued in the release.
Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney Ben David echoed Eckel’s statement.
“What NourishNC accomplished during the pandemic, and what they did during Hurricane Florence, was truly a triumph of ingenuity in trying times,” David said.
“Their work is invaluable to our city,” Saffo added.
Have tips or comments? Email [email protected]
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
