Local Real Estate Luncheon Raises Food and Funds for Pantry

Lucretia Cauthen Realty, LLC brought together local business owners and community leaders for its annual Thanksgiving luncheon on November 19, 2025 at Millbrook First Methodist Church. The gathering attracted more than 200 attendees and yielded 585 pounds of donated food plus $590 in monetary contributions for WELCOME Food Pantry. Organizers described the luncheon as both a networking opportunity and a community giving effort aimed at supporting a pantry that provides meat, produce, and canned goods to roughly 450 families twice a month.

The donations add to WELCOME Food Pantry resources at an important moment in the calendar. With the pantry distributing to families on a twice monthly schedule, the 585 pounds of food and cash gifts help replenish supplies as demand typically rises with holiday seasonal needs. By raw measures the event produced roughly three pounds of food and about three dollars in cash per attendee, demonstrating how small community actions aggregate into tangible support for local food assistance efforts.

WELCOME Food Pantry serves a significant portion of Autauga County families on a recurring basis. A board member for the pantry, Philip Harris, acknowledged the pantry's large yearly impact and thanked donors and partners for supporting the mission. While the luncheon is an annual fixture for Lucretia Cauthen Realty, organizers emphasized that the event also operates as a coordination point for nonprofit volunteers, faith based partners and local businesses that together address food insecurity across the county.

For local residents the immediate impact is practical and measurable. Food and funds collected at community events such as this one translate into protein and fresh produce for households that rely on pantry distributions, and they reduce pressure on household budgets at a time of year when grocery expenditures often climb. The monetary donations can be used to buy items that are harder to collect at donation drives, such as meat and dairy, so cash contributions have outsized purchasing power for pantry managers.

Beyond holiday relief the luncheon illustrates a model of local civic engagement that complements public programs. Community led donations and partnerships with churches and businesses help fill logistical and timing gaps in the safety net, enabling the pantry to maintain twice monthly distributions for roughly 450 families. Organizers said the turnout and generosity from this year indicate strong local willingness to mobilize resources quickly when needs become acute.

As Autauga County moves through the holiday season, events like the Lucretia Cauthen Realty luncheon provide both immediate assistance and a reminder that sustained local cooperation is central to meeting food needs. The funds and food collected on November 19 join ongoing efforts by WELCOME Food Pantry and its partners to ensure regular access to groceries for hundreds of county households.