NEWTON, N.C. (WHKY) – Ashure Ministry has a new cargo van to help expand its efforts to fight food insecurity and provide crisis assistance across Catawba County.

The van was purchased with funding awarded to the City of Newton through the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division Community Development Block Grant Program.

Ashure Ministry, formerly known as Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, was founded in 1969 and provides emergency assistance, food and other essential services to residents throughout Catawba County.

In 2025, the organization served more than 13,000 people and distributed more than 3.3 million pounds of food. Executive Director Kristal Manning says the new van will allow staff and volunteers to collect more donated food from community partners and keep the ministry’s pantry stocked.

The City of Newton received nearly $958,000 through the grant program. Funding also helped Ashure Ministry purchase a walk-in cooler and freezer, while supporting projects involving In My Father’s House Community Support Services Network and The Corner Table, as well as public Wi-Fi in city facilities.

The grant funding was provided through HUD and the CARES Act to help communities address the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, with an emphasis on projects serving low- and moderate-income residents.