Friends of Donegal is here to support and strengthen the community," said Andrea Riefenstahl, president of the organization. "We do not duplicate services but work diligently to connect people to services in our community they might need. A gap in services helps Friends of Donegal look for ways to provide that service."

The organization began in 2021, receiving 501(c)(3) status in early 2022. Its services cover the Donegal School District, including Mount Joy, Marietta and Maytown.

Friends of Donegal (FOD) provides three free programs to the community - Getting Ahead/Staying Ahead, Donegal Power Packs and Donegal Community Gardens.

Getting Ahead/Staying Ahead is based on Ruby Payne's "Bridges Out of Poverty."

"This is a 14-week program that helps investigators evaluate their lives and develop goals that could potentially help them get out of poverty," Riefenstahl explained. "After graduating, FOD keeps in contact with folks via the Staying Ahead monthly classes, where we bring in community speakers and work with members to give back to the community."

For the Power Packs program, food is distributed weekly to families in need within the Donegal School District.

"During this past school year, we fed about 300 individuals, including children, adults and seniors," Riefenstahl said.

Now in its fourth year, Donegal Community Gardens provides produce from three gardens, which is given away free to Power Packs, Mount Joy Senior Apartments and the Mount Joy Food Bank. Gardens are located at Donegal Presbyterian Church, which used one acre of the more than three acres donated to the organization to yield produce; Mount Joy Mennonite Church, where all the bulk vegetables are grown such as potatoes, carrots and beets; and Florin Church, which hosts an asparagus patch, heirloom tomatoes and personal garden plots.

"For 2025, we plan to double the size of the used space at Donegal Presbyterian," Riefenstahl shared, adding that FOD has grown over the past four years. "We have attracted more volunteers and donors as the community gets to know and understand our mission. We feed more people, at times up to 300 people a week; graduated 65 people from the Getting Ahead classes; and donated over 1,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community via the gardens."

While the mission of FOD is to support community members, the organization also works to ensure people who receive its services become self-sufficient.

"There are people/families who are struggling in our communities with things like food insecurity, paying rent or supporting their families due to a low-paying job or no job at all," Riefenstahl said. "FOD helps to provide families with nutritious food for free. We also provide Getting Ahead classes that allow individuals to determine their own goals to getting out of poverty. A piece of the Getting Ahead program includes working with individuals to give back to the community. We are trying to enhance the strength of the community."

Thanks to community support from donors, volunteers and community partners, FOD has continued to make a positive impact, Riefenstahl said. This past year, the organization participated in several community events, including the Taste of Mount Joy car show, the RAISE28 Fair, Winterfest, Fourth Fridays and Chamber of Commerce mixers and luncheons.

Looking ahead, Riefenstahl noted that FOD has a number of goals, including hiring a new program coordinator, expanding grant writing efforts with a dedicated grant writer, updating its website and rebranding with a new logo, continued expansion of the gardens, enhanced offerings through the choice pantry partnership with Power Packs and increased community speaking engagements to share the nonprofit's story and programs more broadly.

"(We) would love to purchase a building to house our nonprofit as well as create a safe space for everyone to show up in - young people and older people getting to know each other and support each other," she said.

People can support FOD in three ways: by volunteering with the organization, by making financial donations and by encouraging others to attend FOD programs.

By working together to serve the needs of everyone, we all benefit, Riefenstahl said, adding, "Our goal is to build a stronger and better community for all."

To learn more about Friends of Donegal, visit http://www.friendsofdonegal.org or follow the organization on Facebook.