Free Books and Meals for Children Available Next Week
Along with free summer meals, free books for children of all ages will be available next week at meal sites throughout Grundy County. Books will be available at Grundy County Elementary Schools on Wednesday and Thursday (July 7-8) during regularly scheduled meal distribution times. Books will also be available at Monteagle Greene Apartments and at the Grundy County Housing Authority. Please see schedule below for exact times and locations.
Books are available at Grundy County meal distribution sites thanks to a generous donation from Discover Together, “We are extremely grateful to Discover Together for generously supplying Grundy County children with free books. Moving forward we expect more books to be available at all meal distribution sites across the plateau, including locations in Franklin, Marion, and Grundy Counties,” said VISTA Coordinator, Vicki Borchers.
Schedule Change: Please note that meal distribution at Coalmont, Pelham, and Tracy City Elementary Schools will now take place on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.–noon.
Free meals are available for all children 18 and younger, regardless of need. All families are encouraged to participate. At most locations, meals are distributed in drive-thru, grab-and-go fashion with as many as 10 meals per child available at one time. Children need not be present during meal distribution and any adult may pick up meals for children. This means grandparents, neighbors, and parents are welcome to pick up free meals for children in their home or neighborhood.
The popular program prevents summer learning loss in children by providing nutritious meals and supplementary reading materials during the summer months. The program is a joint venture of the University of the South, the University’s McClurg Dining Hall, the South Cumberland Community Fund, and the South Cumberland Plateau AmeriCorps VISTA Project. The VISTA Project administers the USDA-funded program and staffs meal distribution locations across the plateau each summer with up to 20 AmeriCorps Summer Associate VISTAs.
The University of the South in partnership with the South Cumberland Community Fund, operates the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program. The program is participating in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) administered by the Tennessee Department of Human Services under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program operates through July 30, 2021.
Meals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the sites and times as follows:
Beersheba Springs Assembly, 58 Hege Avenue, Beersheba Springs, through July 29, Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Camp Rain, 626 Bennett Cemetery Rd., Decherd, Friday, July 2, 8–10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Coalmont Elementary School, 7862 SR 56, Coalmont, through July 28, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Community Action Committee, 216 University Ave., Sewanee, July 8–29, Thursdays, 2:30–4 p.m.
Epiphany Mission Episcopal Church, 62 Mountain Ave. W., Sherwood, through July 30, Fridays, noon–1 p.m.
Franklin County Prevention Coalition, 900 S Shepherd St., Winchester, through July 27, Mondays & Tuesdays, 4–6 p.m., (no service July 5).
Grace Center of Hope, Inc., 912 S College St., Winchester, July 13–29, Tuesdays–Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Grundy Housing Authority, 187 Raulston Ave., Monteagle, through July 27, Tuesdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Monteagle Greene Apartments, 48 Madison Ave., Monteagle, through July 27, Tuesdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Morton Memorial UMC, 322 W. Main St., Monteagle, through July 30, Fridays, 1–2:30 p.m.
North Elementary School, 309 Main St., Altamont, through July 29, Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Palmer Elementary School, 226 Palmer Rd., Palmer, through July 29, Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Pelham Elementary School, 2402 TN-50, Pelham, through July 28, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Swiss Memorial Elementary School, 477 55th Ave., Gruetli-Laager, through July 29, Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
Tracy City Elementary School, 276 3rd St., Tracy City, through July 28, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–noon.
University Child Care Center, 574 Georgia Ave., Sewanee, through July 30, Monday–Friday, 8–10 a.m. No service July 1–7.
Meals are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.