Community food support coalition, OC

The Community Food Support Coalition was born from the vision and generosity of Gloria I. Suess, President and CEO of Mary’s Kitchen Pantry, whose willingness to share resources—and provide unwavering emotional, intellectual, and heartfelt encouragement—created an environment in which two emerging organizations could flourish.

In 2025, both the Tree of New America, founded by Harold (Hal) Arscott, and Seeking Him Outreach, founded by Tyson Whitaker, became established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Through Gloria’s leadership, the Tree of New America was given room to grow, while Seeking Him Outreach was empowered to extend its reach deeper into the community.

Today, the three organizations operate in distinct but complementary lanes, working in concert to advance food sustainability, coordinated community support, and compassionate last-mile outreach—all made possible by the foundation Mary’s Kitchen Pantry provided.

Supported by the food and resources made available through Mary’s Kitchen Pantry, Tyson Whitaker’s work demonstrates why the last mile matters: a food-support system succeeds only when its resources reach the people most likely to be overlooked.

 www.seeking-him-outreach.com

What began with the support and shared resources of Mary’s Kitchen Pantry is growing into a broader sustainability ecosystem coordination layer designed to strengthen daily operations, accountability, and community impact through out counties nationwide.

Introducing our four part docuseries, What It Takes to Care for a Village, produced by Gloria Suess just after she breathed life into the Tree of New America.  This video brings together individuals whose lives over the years had been touched by Mary’s Kitchen Pantry.

www.treeofnewamerica.com