In The Valley, Press Release

ASPIRE CONTINUES PANDEMIC RESPONSE WITH SUPPORT FROM NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND AMAN’S ARTISANAL INDIAN

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Darnell Davis, (front) one of the founders of ASPIRE, assisting Jasmeet Singh, (back) one of the owners of Aman’s Artisanal Indian Cuisine, bringing hot meals to Third Street Alliance for Women and Children in downtown Easton during the August 28 food distribution.
Angel Ackerman, (left) ASPIRE’s Communications Director, explains the contents of the donated meal to Nancy Scott, a blind senior citizen from Wilson borough.  The meal came from Aman’s Artisanal Indian Cuisine in downtown Easton during the August 28 food distribution.

(LEHIGH VALLEY, PA) — Aspire to Autonomy distributed fresh, 40 hot Indian meals to individuals and families on Friday, August 28, thanks to the preparations by Aman’s Artisanal Indian Cuisine and support from Lehigh Valley Sikhs. Masks and hand sanitizer accompanied the meals.

Aspire received a grant totalling more than $8,000 from Northampton County last week to cover the cost of 6,000 masks and 36 gallons (more than 4,700 1-ounce bottles) of hand sanitizer that will be distributed in underserved communities as part of their Pandemic Response Food and PPE events.

To date, through Aspire:

  • 525 families have received 40 pounds or more of food
  • About 2,500 individuals received hand sanitizer
  • Almost 2,200 individuals have received masks

“Aspire is excited to work with Northampton County to achieve our mutual goals,” said Amber Karom, a founder of Aspire and Licensed Social Worker. “Both Aspire and the county want to protect the residents here, and as a younger non-profit organization that fights trafficking, we have a keen awareness of the needs of the underserved populations in multiple communities. It’s a good fit. We’re thrilled to be building this momentum only two years into our mission.”

Restaurants and businesses may participate in the pandemic response distributions and/or through Aspire’s expanding Community Intervention Service program, using on the ground service workers in underserved neighborhoods throughout Northampton County to provide residents with resources such as case management, local food pantries, physical and mental health services, addiction counseling, and personalized referrals to other Lehigh Valley human services nonprofits.

Aman’s Artisan Indian Cuisine in downtown Easton (and Lehigh Valley Sikhs) is the first local business to prepare fresh food for the Pandemic Response. Aspire hopes to connect with more like-minded restaurants and businesses to provide more fresh food to the underserved community.

Planning for future events include Aspire launching a “pop-up” food pantry model to distribute food in more neighborhoods throughout Northampton County. These areas may be identified through our Community Intervention Service pilot program.

Aspire to Autonomy Inc, is a local organization fighting human trafficking in the Lehigh Valley. The CIS program hopes to indentify previously unidentified human trafficking situations. Aspire has received ongoing support from the mayor’s office and The City of Easton and The Hispanic of the Center Lehigh Valley. These conjoined efforts bring food and “safety packs” of hand sanitizer and masks to those in need to protect them from food insecurity and the Covid-19 virus.

To get involved or to learn more about what you can do to end human trafficking, attend one of Aspire’s upcoming FREE virtual Project Underground Railroad trainings providing overviews of human trafficking:

Founded in 2018, Aspire to Autonomy Inc. has been on the front lines in the fight against trafficking in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. ASPIRE is A Supportive Presence, Initiating Recovery and Empowerment that provides an opportunity for growth and development and fosters autonomy. ASPIRE believes in the cultivation of resources, services, community, and human relationships to foster equity and allow dreams to become a reality. For more information or to donate to their Pandemic Response fundraiser, visit our “Feed Northampton County” Pandemic Response page: https://bit.ly/2XVSc6w.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Sarah Cattin
Aspire to Autonomy, Inc.
http://pathtoautonomy.org/