Local News

Hope Mills Food Pantry calls for community support

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Jamie Bishop

The shelves at Hope Mills Methodist Church’s food pantry don’t stay full for long. On distribution days, families from across Cumberland County walk the aisles, filling bags with canned vegetables, dry goods, and meat. For many, the food they carry home will provide two or three crucial meals in a week when other options are scarce.
At the heart of the program is director Walt Thomson, who has watched demand steadily climb.
“We do not ask them where they come from,” Thomson said. “All we need is for them to come in and say, ‘I don’t have any food, I’m hungry,’ and we’ll take care of them.”
The pantry, housed on Legion Road, is designed to be simple and direct. Families arrive, walk through shelves lined with donated goods, and select what they need. Frozen meats and fresh produce are provided when available. Hygiene products, including soap, toothpaste, and feminine supplies, are also stocked. While the setup is straightforward, the demand is overwhelming. On a typical day, Thomson said, around 95 families visit. By the end of distribution, shelves are often stripped bare.
“The hardest logistical challenge is getting enough food,” he explained. “We never have enough.”
That shortfall reflects broader trends. Food stamp reductions have left many families struggling to cover both rent and groceries. Inflation has made staples like eggs, bread, and milk harder to afford. The pantry has become a lifeline, yet resources remain stretched thin. The solution, Thomson insists, lies in community support. Donations of canned and dry goods remain the backbone of the pantry. Churches, civic groups, and businesses are encouraged to run can drives on their behalf.
“Donations, financial donations, or cans, start a can drive at their church. Any way to get food to us,” Thomson urged.
Beyond food, the pantry welcomes financial contributions, which allow the church to purchase in-demand items in bulk. Those funds also help fill gaps when donations don’t cover essentials like bread, eggs, or soap. Local businesses are invited to sponsor food drives, contribute funding, or provide in-kind support like storage solutions and transportation. Thomson said the pantry also depends on volunteers. From stocking shelves to helping families navigate the pantry floor, every set of hands makes a difference.
“We will put them to work helping people,” he said.
Though all contributions are valued, Thomson has identified certain items that families request most often, but the pantry rarely has in stock. These include:
• Bread, eggs, and fresh meat — often missing due to storage challenges.
• Hygiene products — such as toothpaste, toilet paper, and feminine items, which are rarely donated but vital for families.
• Shelf-stable goods — like canned vegetables with pop-top lids, boxed milk, rice, and pasta.
• Spices and condiments — small items that make otherwise plain meals more enjoyable.
• Fresh produce is especially prized. Local farmers and grocery stores occasionally deliver fruits and vegetables, and Thomson says the response is always enthusiastic. Clients are grateful for healthy food that isn’t always in their budget, and volunteers see firsthand how a bag of apples or bundle of tomatoes can brighten someone’s day.
Hope Mills Methodist Church frames the pantry as a direct expression of its faith. Thomson often refers to Matthew 25:35: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” For him, this scripture is not symbolic but literal.
“We are a Christian-based organization because we’re part of the Methodist Church,” Thomson said. “Jesus told us that when you feed someone who is hungry, it’s the same as feeding Him. So we try to live by that, we’ll feed anybody that comes.” That philosophy shapes the pantry’s open-door policy. No proof of residency is required. No questions are asked about background, employment, or faith. The only qualification is hunger.
Families enter a room lined with shelves of canned and boxed goods, move to freezers stocked with meats, and then select fresh produce when available. Hygiene items are distributed separately. The church secretary coordinates drop-off donations during those hours, and Thomson encourages anyone interested in helping to visit in person.
“We’re calling for all donations,” he emphasized. “The biggest challenge is not having enough.”
The message Thomson wants the community to hear is clear: the need is urgent, and the pantry cannot meet it alone. Every bag of rice, every case of canned goods, every dollar given helps ensure families do not leave empty-handed. Faith groups are encouraged to organize can drives. Schools can mobilize students to collect hygiene products. Businesses can partner as sponsors, matching employee donations or underwriting the cost of staples. Individuals can volunteer time, whether once a week or once a month, to help with distribution.
“By the time the last person comes through the door, our shelves are bare,” Thomson said. “But with more help, more food, more donations, more volunteers—we can make sure no family has to walk away without enough to eat.”
How to donate or volunteer
• Food Donations: Drop off nonperishables, bread, fresh produce, or hygiene products Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Hope Mills Methodist Church, 4955 Legion Road, Hope Mills.
• Financial Support: Contributions can be given directly to the church office during those hours. Financial gifts allow for bulk purchases of high-demand items.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Call or visit the church office to sign up. Volunteers are immediately put to work assisting families, stocking shelves, and keeping the pantry running smoothly.
• Community Drives: Civic groups, schools, and churches are encouraged to organize can drives or hygiene product collections to benefit the pantry.
Thomson is realistic about the challenges. With nearly 100 families arriving on a single day, the pantry will always face high demand. But he is equally firm about the mission.
“We’ll feed anybody that comes,” he said. It is a commitment grounded in faith, sustained by volunteers, and dependent on community generosity. And for Thomson, it is as much about dignity as it is about food.
“When someone tells us they’re hungry, we respond,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for. And we need everyone’s help to keep it going.”
For more information, visit https://www.hopemillsmc.org/food-pantry.

(Photo: The Meals of Hope Food Pantry at the Hope Mills Methodist Church helps to feed families in need within the community. Photo courtesy of Hope Mills Methodist Church Facebook page)

Mystery solved: With cause revealed, years of chest pain finally end

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Lia Tremblaya

Dan DeBruler isn’t one to make a fuss about his health. He tends to power through the occasional illness or injury without complaint. But for years, he had recurrent symptoms that were often worrisome enough to send him to the emergency department.
“I’d say it was at least eight times, over the past 12 or 15 years,” he said. “Multiple medical facilities, both military and civilian. I’d get these terrible chest pains, which I know you shouldn’t ignore. And it was always handled with care, because a man over 40 with chest pain usually means a heart attack.”
But his heart would always check out fine, and by then DeBruler’s intense, burning chest pain had usually subsided anyway. Acid reflux seemed like a likely culprit, so sometimes he would leave with a new prescription or new advice: don’t drink coffee, sleep with your head elevated, keep your stress under control.
Then he’d be fine for weeks or months. And just when he thought he’d solved the problem, the same agony would return.
At one point last year, it was the worst it had ever been. He was at a party with family and friends when his chest was again seized with a fiery discomfort, so he went outside to walk it off. When he hadn’t returned, his fellow guests – including a paramedic and a nursing student – went to investigate.
“They found me reclining in a van, sweating profusely,” he said. “And they thought, ‘Oh wow, he’s having a heart attack.’”
He left that party in an ambulance, but ended up with the same result: no apparent heart trouble, and no real explanation for why this kept happening.
Finally, earlier this year, he found relief. The episodes had become so frequent that he visited the emergency department at Cape Fear Valley Hoke Hospital three times in a single week.
“Those three visits were the first times I’d ever been there,” he said.
The first two times, he had the same familiar outcome. But on the third visit, emergency physician Jody Lakey, DO, had a new hunch and ordered an ultrasound.
“And we had a new answer,” DeBruler said. “It was actually a very faulty gallbladder.”
While gallbladder pain is typically felt on the right side, just under the ribs, it can sometimes present in the chest – feeling very much like a heart attack. It’s often precipitated by a meal with oily foods, such as french fries or creamy sauces.
“I was able to retrace the days between those two visits this time around,” he said, “and what I had consumed in those days. It seemed to have no rhyme or reason before, but now it made perfect sense.”
Days later, general surgeon Ovie Appresai, MD, removed the gallbladder that had tormented DeBruler for so long.
“I feel great now,” said DeBruler. “I’ve learned a lot about what the gallbladder does, so I’m just careful not to eat things the gallbladder was used to handling for me. My wife and I eat pretty healthy to begin with, so it’s just been this small adjustment.”
With the mystery solved and the chest pains behind him, DeBruler is looking forward to enjoying life without that unpredictable misery. And he’s grateful for the people who worked so hard to figure things out.
“The nurses, PAs, attendants and technicians all took their roles to heart,” he said. “And I finally got it resolved. I felt like they really raised the bar on what healthcare should look like.”

(Photo: Dan DeBruler thought his chest pain was a heart attack, but was diagnosed with a faulty gallbladder instead. Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)

Government Watch: County seeks funding for Crown; ShotSpotter contract renewed

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Tuesday, 16 September 2025

Written by Jami McLaughlin

Cumberland County
On Sept. 11, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to release a Request for Qualifications/Proposals for renovating or modernizing the Crown Theatre and Arena with a budget not to exceed $100 million and with seating options of 2,500 and 3,000, joint and separate project approaches and references to prior scope and market studies.
With the revitalization of the theatre and arena where the existing Crown Complex is located, the County is also seeking community input for the current Gillespie Street lot around the downtown Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse area. The survey can be found by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NZ5K58N. Survey results will be presented at the Oct. 9 board meeting. To date, the County has received more than 1,000 responses.
Also, the board will vote on consent at their Sept. 15 meeting to transfer governance of the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, otherwise known as DistiNCtly Fayetteville, to the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority. The FACVB Board of Directors adopted amendments to its articles of incorporation and bylaws, effective July 1, 2025, and dissolved its board.
On Sept. 2, the Board of Commissioners also recognized 64 non-profit organizations that received $1.395 million in Community Impact Grants. The grants, funded through Cumberland County’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation, provide up to $50,000 per nonprofit to reimburse qualifying expenses. The nonprofits represented five categories in Health and Human Services, Religious and Faith-Based Services, Public Safety and Emergency Response, Educational and Youth Development and Arts, Culture and Community Development. Recipients were first announced on May 19.
City of Fayetteville
On Sept. 8, the Fayetteville City Council renewed its contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, for another year at $220,000. The vote was 8-2 with Councilmen Mario Benavente and Deno Hondros dissenting. The system currently operates in three 1-mile zones in the City including Cliffdale/Reilly Roads, Massey Hill and along the Murchison Road corridor.
According to the data, ShotSpotter has detected 4,005 shots, which has led to more than 1,000 shell casings being recovered, 45 arrests, 19 victims identified and 27 guns recovered. Others say it is less effective due to only 24% of alerts being linked to confirmed gunfire. A second motion was passed to collect and review data-based recommendations over the next year from ShotSpotter.
The board also reviewed a proposal to redevelop the corner of Blount and Gillespie Streets. The City hired HR&A Advisors to look at a 9.33 acre site, located near Downtown Fayetteville and the Cumberland County Jail, which is anchored by the E.E. Smith House, Habitat for Humanity sponsored houses, low-density housing, vacant retail spaces and churches.
Community engagement for the presentation included a public event held in June with over 45 residents and a survey yielding 92 online responses. Out of the feedback, the mixed-use development concepts included a large central community green space and cultural center, a community park anchored with a pavilion and a small neighborhood park or community green on a realigned Chase Street.
The next steps are for HR&A to refine the development scenarios and test financial feasibility for the site, which will be brought back to the council at a later date.
The city’s Economic and Community Development Department is also currently seeking feedback from local small businesses about what resources they feel are missing to help them expand and improve their operations.
According to a press release issued on the survey, “Small businesses are the backbone of Fayetteville’s economy. They create jobs, strengthen neighborhoods and contribute to the growth and sustainability of our community. Their success helps drive investment and build wealth in the city.”
The City released the survey hoping that the input would “provide insight to help shape potential programs and initiatives, expand existing programs and address the needs of businesses in Fayetteville.”
The survey can be found by visiting https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/City-Departments/Economic-Community-Development. It will be open until Oct. 3.
About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber
Advocacy is a cornerstone of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Every week, the Chamber dedicates staff to attend City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County meetings as well as monitoring updates on the state and federal levels. We monitor legislation locally, statewide and federally to protect our community’s business interests. With 91% of U.S. adults recognizing a Chamber of Commerce's impact on growth, membership ensures a strong voice shaping policies, driving economic success and building a thriving business community—together. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.

FTCC's Early Childhood/Birth-Kindergarten program

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Tuesday, 09 September 2025

Written by Dr. Rondell Bennett

At Fayetteville Technical Community College, we believe strong teachers are the cornerstone of strong communities. From the robust Early Childhood/Birth–Kindergarten program to Teacher Preparation degrees and the innovative Residency Licensure Certificate, FTCC is shaping the future of education—one teacher at a time.
FTCC’s Associate in Applied Science in Early Childhood Education is the department’s largest program, preparing graduates to work with children from birth through early elementary years. This degree equips students to serve in diverse learning environments, including preschools, childcare centers, and Head Start programs.
The program also offers stackable certificates that allow professionals to enhance their skills and credentials quickly, such as the:
• Special Needs Certificate – prepares students to work with children with exceptionalities.
• Infant–Toddler Care Certificate (C55290) – focuses on the care and development of children from birth to age three.
These certificates are ideal for individuals seeking career advancement, immediate workforce entry, or a stepping stone toward completing the full associate degree. Many graduates also qualify for the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential and pursue TEACH Early Childhood® scholarships or apprenticeships.
Teacher Preparation Degrees:
A Pathway to Teaching
For students planning to transfer to a four-year university, FTCC offers two Associate degree options in Teacher Preparation:
• Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation
• Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation
These programs require 60 semester hours and are designed for seamless transfer to UNC system and private universities. Students build strong academic foundations while gaining early exposure to education concepts that prepare them for upper-level coursework.
Residency Licensure Certificate: A Career Changer’s Fast Track
Launched in 2024, FTCC’s Residency Licensure Certificate Program in Elementary Education offers a flexible and supported path to teacher licensure for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education. This program is especially valuable for career-changers, military spouses, and veterans who want to transition into teaching while maintaining work or family commitments.
Key program features include:
• Six fully online courses (18 credit hours) completed in 36 months
• Coursework covering pedagogy, classroom management, literacy, assessment, and content instruction
• Hands-on experience through a practicum and residency year in local schools
• Preparation for state-required licensure tests
“Participating in the FTCC Residency Licensure Program was one of the most impactful steps in my journey to becoming a more effective and confident educator. The structure of the program, along with the dedicated support from my professors, played a critical role in my professional growth and directly contributed to my success,” said FTCC Graduate Shenita Perry.
Whether you’re preparing to transfer to a university teaching program, entering the classroom through alternative licensure, or advancing your early childhood credentials, FTCC is here to help you make a better life for you and for the next generation.
Call 910-678 8205 or email education@faytechcc.edu to connect with an advisor.