By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 20, 2026 at 5:11 AM
Ashure Ministry, a longstanding beacon of support in Catawba County, has expanded its capacity to serve the community with the recent acquisition of a new cargo van. This addition, made possible through grant funding awarded to the City of Newton by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division Community Development Block Grant Program, is set to enhance the ministry’s efforts to combat food insecurity and provide crisis assistance.
Founded in 1969 as Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Ashure Ministry has been a vital resource in the area, offering emergency assistance, food, and other essential services. In 2025 alone, the ministry reached over 13,000 individuals and distributed more than 3.3 million pounds of food. The new van will significantly aid in collecting donated food from community partners, ensuring a steady supply for the ministry’s pantry.
The funding, part of a nearly $958,000 grant received by the City of Newton, was sourced from HUD and the CARES Act. These funds were allocated to address the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, with a focus on projects benefiting low- and moderate-income residents. Alongside the van, the grant also facilitated the purchase of a walk-in cooler and freezer, bolstering Ashure Ministry’s ability to store perishable goods.
This initiative is part of a broader effort that includes supporting In My Father’s House Community Support Services Network and The Corner Table, as well as enhancing public Wi-Fi in city facilities. These projects collectively aim to uplift the community, reflecting a commitment to service and neighbor-love, as echoed in the biblical call to action found in Matthew 25:35, which emphasizes feeding the hungry and caring for the needy. Through these efforts, Ashure Ministry continues to embody the spirit of practical compassion and community support.
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Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
