Neighbors Feeding Neighbors
by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer
Before the rise of COVID-19, 135 million Americans were struggling with food insecurity. That translated to about one in every nine people, and that was before the disruptions in supply chains and grocery store shortages.
Now, with thousands of workers furloughed across the state, 135 million is just the tip of the iceberg.
At the beginning of April, more than 120,000 people had filed for unemployment in the state of Tennessee, and recent data from the United Nations shows that once-stable families have become food-insecure.
However, thanks to several local churches and the Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary, Franklin County’s food-insecure families can trade the worry on their plate for a family meal.
Kenny Green serves as lead pastor at New Beginnings Church in Monteagle, and he said when the pandemic first began, he and his congregation knew they had a role to play as helpers.
“At the beginning, we could foresee it getting worse, so we connected with Feed America First and Second Harvest,” he said. “That was 6 weeks ago. We picked up our first load and purchased 6,000 pounds of dry food and frozen meat.”
Green said after they started, Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum and Mayor Michael Brady got involved. Shrum, Living Water Church, South Cumberland Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Highland Community Church donated funds for Green and his staff to purchase additional food supplies, and thanks to a $4,200 grant from the Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary, more than 320 families have received assistance over the last six weeks. The Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary sponsors the annual Hunger Walk, which aims to raise money to combat food insecurity on the Mountain.
“We’ve distributed more than 25,000 pounds of food in six weeks,” Green said.
Food insecurity on its own is highly stressful, and coupled with the heightened anxiety that is unavoidable during a pandemic, tensions are high.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food insecurity is a health risk linked to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, hepatitis, stroke and cancer. In addition, COVID-19 does not discriminate. In fact, those who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness are at higher risk of contracting the virus. Because of this, access to regular, healthy meals is crucial to keeping the virus at bay.
Green said that is why he and the staff at New Beginnings wanted to do something to help.
“We count it a privilege and honor to love, serve and give to the people that Jesus died for — there wasn’t a second thought. This was an incredible opportunity to be the hands and the feet of Jesus,” Green said.
For those needing assistance, the Community Action Committee at Otey Memorial Parish and the food bank at Morton Memorial United Methodist Church can also provide help. To support the 6th annual Hunger Walk, visit the Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary website and donate to the cause.