One volunteer each from Orange and Chatham County earning recognition from the governor’s office for their work in their respective communities.
Laura Malinchock, a lead volunteer at PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro, and Jennie Knowlton, the co-founder of Pittsboro’s Quiltmaker Café, were recently honored by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein with Governor’s Medallion Awards for Volunteer Service.
“Laura began volunteering with PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro 15 years ago, when the hunger relief organization was in its infancy,” reads the page on the 2026 medallion recipients. “She has since dedicated more than 8,000 hours of her time to PORCH, distributing meals to community members as well as supporting operations, fundraising, sponsorship, and partnership development.”
According to a Facebook post from PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro celebrating Malinchock’s award, the organization is not the only local group to benefit from her volunteer work.
“Laura has spent countless hours serving our community as a lead volunteer at PORCH, a mentor for Blue Ribbon Scholars, a leader in Boy Scout Troop 845, and as an incredibly active PTA president in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools,” the post reads.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards webpage also goes into detail on the work done by Jennie Knowlton, who was Chatham County’s 2026 recipient.
“Jennie co-founded Pittsboro’s Quiltmaker Café in 2021, with a mission to provide community and healthy meals to all, regardless of ability to pay,” said the governor’s office. “Since its incorporation, Jennie has been the leading force behind The Quiltmaker Café, recently elevating it from pop-up mobile events to securing a lease on a brick-and-mortar building. Jennie has contributed 8,400 volunteer hours to the Café and secured $30,000 in grant funds. She also serves as a weekly community lunch volunteer at a local church.”
Quiltmaker Café is a nonprofit which provides both meals and volunteer opportunities. The café opened its brick-and-mortar location at 75 W. Salisbury St. in Pittsboro on May 4 in a building previously occupied by Postal Fish Co. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., and is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“Jennie is a graduate of the 2022-23 Chatham Leadership program with the Chamber of Commerce and the 2024 CCCC SBC Chatham SPARK Program,” Quiltmaker Café’s website says. “She has been a member of the Rotary Club of Pittsboro since early 2024, and served as a board member for the Pittsboro Business Association, the Professional Women of Chatham and Orange Counties and Pittsboro Toastmasters.”
The Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service was created by the North Carolina government to honor 20-25 volunteers from across the state, with one recipient being allowed from each county. This year was the award’s 20th, as its first round of recipients were honored in 2006.
“I am proud to recognize these outstanding volunteers whose service has strengthened communities across North Carolina,” said Gov. Stein. “Their generosity and their commitment to helping others reflect the very best of our state, and I hope their example inspires more people to get involved and make a difference.”
Image via PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro on Facebook.
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