"Acceptance is at the heart of who we are": 1Can celebrates mission of feeding Cabarrus County
Annual gala highlighted the nonprofit's expanding reach, volunteer efforts and the lives transformed through its Blessing Boxes.
Rising grocery bills and the increasing cost of living are making it harder for many Cabarrus County residents to put food on the table.
That's where organizations like 1Can make a difference.
Founded in 2019, the nonprofit provides free food and essential hygiene items through a network of 11 Blessing Boxes, helping some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, particularly people experiencing homelessness.
Supported by an army of dedicated volunteers, including 35 Blessing Box keepers who regularly restock and maintain the boxes, 1Can has become a lifeline for many who might otherwise go without.
“Acceptance is at the heart of who we are,” said Sheryl Kluge, founder and executive director of 1Can, during the nonprofit’s fourth annual gala Thursday night at the Laureate Center in downtown Kannapolis. “We help anyone who is hungry regardless of who they are or their life circumstance.”
The Blessing Boxes serve a diverse cross-section of the community, including single parents struggling to feed their children, people experiencing homelessness living in cars or wooded areas, and older adults forced to choose between buying groceries and paying for life-saving medications.
In addition to the Blessing Boxes, 1Can operates a snack pack program for children facing food insecurity. Each pack includes at least three assorted snacks and a juice box, while regular food drives help keep the Blessing Boxes stocked and help reduce operating costs.
The evening also featured a silent auction and jewelry raffle to support the organization’s mission. Together, they helped the gala raise more than $50,000.
As Cabarrus County continues to grow, so does the need. Demand for the organization’s services has increased by about 25% over the past year, Kluge said.
Today, 1Can distributes more than 6,000 pounds of food each month through its Blessing Boxes alone, serving approximately 2,500 people. While significant, Kluge noted that represents only a small fraction of those in Cabarrus County who need assistance.
Over the past year, the nonprofit has also expanded its reach through creative partnerships with schools and community organizations.
One example was the “Soups and Ceramics” fundraiser in November, a collaboration with Royal Oaks School of the Arts and Concord High School. Royal Oaks students handcrafted colorful ceramic bowls that were later filled with soups prepared by Concord High School’s Culinary Department. Families gathered for a community meal under a pay-what-you-can model, raising more than $2,000 for 1Can while emphasizing community, learning and generosity.
Another initiative in the spring brought together the Cabarrus County Education Foundation, 1Can and Cabarrus County Schools’ STEM programs for the inaugural “STEM Builds the Future: 1 CAN at a Time” challenge. More than 500 students from eight STEM schools collected canned food donations before transforming them into large-scale sculptures while applying the engineering design process through planning, testing, redesign and collaboration. The effort generated 2,431 pounds of food — valued at roughly $4,700 — for local families.
Building on the success of the inaugural challenge, 1Can plans to host a countywide can sculpture competition in October that will be open to schools, businesses, churches, civic groups and community members. More information and registration details are available here: Countywide Can Sculpture Challenge registration.
During the past school year, 1Can also delivered more than 10,000 snack bags to students in Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools.
The evening also recognized several volunteers and community partners for their service. Patrick Bryant received Volunteer of the Year honors, while Jupiter Clark was named Youth Volunteer of the Year. Mother-and-daughter team Rose and Kaila O’Connell earned the Blessing Box Keeper Award, and Ella Love received the Youth Blessing Box Keeper Award.
Christine Cronin, founder and executive director of Wings of Eagles Ranch, received the Changing Lives Award for her organization's ongoing support of 1Can. As part of the ranch's camps, Cronin provides campers with shopping bags and lists of items needed to help secure food for Meals on Wheels recipients.
1Can Board President Christine Corsello reminded attendees that hunger often remains hidden in plain sight.
She said it can look like a parent forced to make impossible choices or a child who quietly goes without.
“Once you start to see that, you can’t unsee it,” Corsello said. “And that’s where 1Can steps in — quietly, consistently and with dignity. Food is more than fuel, it is dignity, it’s stability, it’s the starting point for everything else.”
The gala’s theme, “Planting Seeds of Hope,” reflected the organization’s belief that even small acts of generosity — such as donating a single can of food — can have a lasting impact.
“Every day we continue planting these seeds and because of your support, these seeds are growing into hope, dignity and second chances throughout our community,” Kluge said.
That message came to life through a short video featuring Erica, a woman experiencing homelessness who lives in the woods and whom Kluge first met at Cabarrus Health Alliance four years ago. The two have remained in contact ever since, and Erica's journey has come to embody the impact 1Can hopes to make in the lives of those it serves.
Before discovering the Blessing Boxes, Erica said she often resorted to desperate measures, including stealing food just to survive.
“If it wasn’t for the Blessing Box, I probably wouldn’t have made it,” Erica said, noting that she sometimes visits her local Blessing Box two or three times a day.
Now one year sober, Erica is slowly rebuilding her life. She has found steady work, though she still lives in the woods.
Stories like Erica’s remind Kluge of the hardships many vulnerable residents face every day and of the simple necessities that are often taken for granted, from a hot shower to running water.
For Kluge, 1Can is about more than providing food. It's about giving people the chance to move forward, one meal at a time.
“If the food we provide allows someone to put gas in their car to get to work, keep the lights on, or make it through another difficult week, then we’ve accomplished our goal,” Kluge said.
For more information about 1Can or to donate or volunteer, visit its website.