Romaine’s an Effective Leader

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor By Mary Parker Sonis, Carrboro

Susan Romaine gets my endorsement because she has proven herself as an effective leader on a grassroots level through her work with PORCH. She and two friends, Christine Cotton and Debbie Horwitz, organized their first neighborhood food drive ten years ago this month. Beginning with 230 cans of tuna donated by neighbors in Lake Hogan Farms, one decade later PORCH has provided $2.4 million in hunger relief for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. It’s a great example of the power of grassroots organizing, one porch at a time! PORCH now provides a week’s worth of fresh food to 425 local families, stocks the shelves of 15 pantries in the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community, and delivers healthy snacks to all of the public schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. While many politicians talk about supporting families, this woman has proven her ability through hands on work in the community. The organization works beautifully because Susan listens (and responds) to the needs of both volunteers and the community they serve. Observing the day to day operations of this nonprofit is a lesson in how to do a job the right way. Having Susan as a member of the Carrboro BOA will be a huge asset to our town, and I’m looking forward to seeing her shine in this new role.