Bread Connection commends Rowlett's Hardware
Jul. 8—Although it's a fairly young organization, the Bread Connection already makes a significant impact through assisting 1,000 plus individuals per month and distributing more than 9,000 pounds of food over the same time period.
"We didn't get here alone," Bread Connection President Randy Hightower stressed.
Hightower along with his wife, Becky Hightower, founded the Bread Connection several years ago based on their convictions that no one should go hungry and the belief that food security is a fundamental right.
Addressing those twin goals required community engagement in the form of donations and volunteers as well as partnerships with like-minded area organizations and business sponsorships.
Which is why Thursday morning found Hightower at Cleburne's Rowlett's Hardware location with an engraved plaque of appreciation in hand for owners Rodney and Paula Rowlett.
So important is Rowlett's support that Randy and Becky Hightower saw fit to add the local hardware store's logo to the Bread Connection's food delivery trucks.
"For us, this is a huge deal," Randy Hightower said of Rowlett's support. "There are other organizations doing great work in Cleburne like Operation Blessing that have been around 30 years or more that everyone knows. We're pretty new still though, only been around three, four years.
"So, when a business like Rowlett's Hardware, and everyone around here knows Rowlett's, gives us their support that says a lot and means a lot to us. It helps the public know that the Bread Connection is legitimate and here to help."
Rowlett's Hardware, among several other local organizations, served as a sponsor of the Bread Connection's annual fundraiser banquet held earlier this year, which provided attendees a celebration of Paris, France.
Hightower said appreciation plaques have also been distributed to West End Grill, St. Mark Methodist Church, Buffalo Creek Barbecue and Pinnacle Bank with more plaque distributions to come.
"They're doing a lot of good for the community," Rodney Rowlett said of his and his wife's decision to support the Bread Connection. "Mainly, it's all about supporting the community and just helping people in need."
Paula Hightower agreed.
"It's doing our part to spread help and encouragement to those in need and the community overall," Paula Hightower said. "The community supported us with our hardware stores and we need to support the community and want to do that."
Working off the general store model of the old days, the Rowletts opened the original Rowlett's Hardware store in 2000 in Rio Vista followed by stores in Cleburne, Godley and Grandview.
The Bread Connection, a 501©(3) faith-based charity, distributes, through the organization's warehouse food bank, food to area charitable organizations that provide food and other aid to people in need. Bread Connection officials and volunteers also partner with area charitable organizations, churches and businesses to best determine and address local needs throughout the year. As always, donations and volunteers are much needed and appreciated.
