Community Member Profile: John Pannell

This week we begin our weekly community member profiles with John. We are grateful to John for always being willing to jump in with different tasks, from helping with the free store to writing a grant! Thanks, John!! And stay tuned for more profiles in future editions.

How long have you been a part of Asheville Poverty Initiative? How did you first come to us/hear about us?

I have been coming for about 3.5 years. I was introduced to the cafe through a friend who asked me to help with a food pick up. After that, I decided to volunteer in the cafe on my days off.

How do you contribute most often to API’s mission?

I learn a little about each member of our community. Names, stories, and what they get out of coming to visit the cafe. I enjoy being able to help ensure that needs are met.

How has your life or perspective changed since becoming involved?

I've made friends and I feel more a part of the Asheville community than I otherwise would be. I started volunteering during Covid and after Hurricane Helene I saw the community come together and I'm proud to be a part of it.

What do you believe are the biggest obstacles to ending poverty in our community, or the best solutions in that work?

I think Asheville is experiencing a cost of living crisis, and obviously I'm not the only person that thinks that. We need the area to move away from a tourism focused economy, which after the hurricane we have learned is not that sustainable, and transition into better paying more sustainable jobs as well as providing affordable housing. It's a bit of a magic wand solution, I know, but that's the broad strokes of it.

What do you hope API achieves in the next 1-5 years?

I would like to see the community building model be expanded on and us get recognized for it. A lot of people recognize this as a food pantry, and I often describe us as such, but there's a lot more going on here that I think the community would appreciate us for.

What is your best memory, so far?

The day after the hurricane when I realized that the volunteers showed up even with no power or water. It really gave me hope in a dark time.