Middleburg’s Seven Loaves Fills a Great Need

Middleburg’s Seven Loaves Fills a Great Need

Tami Erickson, the new pantry director at Middleburg’s Seven Loaves.

Photo by Leonard Shapiro

By Leonard Shapiro

There are several new faces at Seven Loaves these days, but there’s been no change in the noble mission of a faith-based nonprofit that has served many food insecure residents of the Middleburg area and surrounding counties for more than 25 years.

There are several new faces at Seven Loaves these days, but there’s been no change in the noble mission of a faith-based nonprofit that has served many food insecure residents of the Middleburg area and surrounding counties for more than 25 years.“We serve anyone who comes to us regardless of faith, income, place of residence, or other criteria,” the Seven Loaves website reads, adding that it will “serve ANYONE who needs us in a respectful and clean environment. Our ability to continue to meet our mission is entirely dependent upon the continued generosity, goodwill and hard work of individuals and organizations within our community.” Photo by Leonard Shapiro

Countless such individuals, both on the staff and in the volunteer Tami Erickson, the new pantry director ranks, make it all work. at Middleburg’s Seven Loaves.

Caroline Helmly, a retired attorney from the Middleburg area, is the new president of Seven Loaves. She and her husband, Jack, have been volunteer drivers over the last four years, a vitally important role involving picking up food from area grocery stores like Giant, Harris-Teeter and Walmart and local farmer’s markets. Once a week, a driver travels to Winchester to pick up food distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

There are now about 15 drivers, all with pick-up trucks or vans at the ready, but at least six more are needed. There’s a new driver coordinator, volunteer Katherine Rochester, a highly-successful businesswoman also well known locally as a popular and multi-talented yoga instructor.

On the staff side, Seven Loaves also has an energetic new full-time pantry director, Tami Erickson, a Minnesota native who’s spent most of her adult life doing good works in the nonprofit world.

For the last two years, she’s been at Windy Hill, specializing in resident services and working with all age groups, toddlers to seniors. Those services included educational opportunities, day care, literacy and financial classes, computer labs, a summer camp and much more, including helping any food insecure residents.

“I’ve worked with Seven Loaves,” Erickson said, adding that her new job provided “the opportunity to serve a small community. I love Middleburg. And serving the under-served has always been in my heart. I’m just so excited and so grateful for this opportunity.”

Caroline Helmly said she’s thrilled to have Erickson directing an organization that began in 1994 and is now housed at Middleburg’s United Methodist Church. Food is distributed there on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, and some drivers deliver to folks unable to make it to the church.

“Seven Loaves doesn’t have a lot of restrictions,” she said. “We don’t ask a lot of questions. If people say they need food, we help them. It’s confidential. We don’t ask your religion, we don’t ask your income. If people are waiting in line for food, we know they need it. We just say we’re here to help.

“There are people in this community who are struggling. It could be life circumstances, Covid, they lost a job, medical problems. It doesn’t; matter. One of our patrons was a woman I’d known for many years and I had no idea she was struggling. Then I learned she was going through a hard time, and she needed food assistance. That really opened my eyes. It can happen to anyone. It’s just good that we can help.”* Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties

Details: 540-687-3489, sevenloavesservices@gmail.com, www.sevenloavesmiddleburg.org.