If you want to help your neighbors in need and want your money to go directly to them without administrative overhead or other deductions, then you need to know about the Koinonia Foundation and get tickets for its annual auction and banquet on Saturday, Feb. 4, at The Forks Cafeteria.
            The tickets are $30 each, and the event begins at 5:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets from Koinonia President Heather Holding at Holding Oil Company on South White Street, from any board member listed below or at the door on Feb. 4.
            The auctions, a silent one early in the evening and a live one later, all of donated items, are the foundation’s only money-raising events. All the money raised is distributed through grants to local organizations, and this year’s focus grant will go to BackPack Buddies of Wake Forest and Rolesville to feed needy children over weekends and during school breaks.
            The Koinonia directors also review requests from individuals and families in crisis and pay utility companies, mortgage lenders and landlords.
            The directors aside from President Holding are Durward Matheny the vice-president, Dorothy Bowman the secretary and David Williams Sr. is the treasurer. Other board members are Jake Alderman, Dale Austin, Teresa Bridges, Tresa Jalot, Martha Loftin, Lynn Meyer, Jennifer Owens and Renee Shaw.