MOUNT VERNON – Because of Knox County’s generosity last year, Food For The Hungry (FFTH) was able to fund emergency COVID grants, equipment for food banks and almost $200,000 for quarterly distributions split between the Salvation Army and Interchurch Social Services.
With the phenomenal $424,029 raised last year in the rearview mirror, the campaign has set a modest goal this year of $275,000 and hopes to collect as many nonperishable food items as the community can donate, according to a press release.
The 40th annual FFTH Drive officially kicks off Friday, Nov. 5, throughout Knox County as a communitywide effort to raise food and funds for Interchurch Social Services, The Salvation Army, and other ministries and organizations throughout the county that support food initiatives.
“Knox County came through in ways we could have never imagined in 2020,” said FFTH President Samantha Scoles. “We were cautiously optimistic of reaching our goal because of the economic impact of the pandemic. But our partners shattered our goal and our records and provided 175 percent of our goal.”
This year, the board will continue to support food banks, but has expanded its reach to helping agencies respond to requests for high-demand areas like housing and utility assistance.
The public portion of the campaign will culminate in a live broadcast on Friday, Dec. 10, at the Memorial Theatre inside the Knox Memorial.
"We would love to encourage local employers and organizations to allow employees to get involved in this amazing community project by volunteering at collection points for various shifts," said Executive Director Lisa Mazarri. "This is such a great way to kick off the holiday season and show how much we care about our community!”
Grant applications will open Monday, Nov. 8, and remain open until 12 noon on Monday, Nov. 22. Applications for grants up to $2,000 per organization are welcomed. Locate applications at the Food For The Hungry Cares website under the “Who We Help” tab. Awardees will be notified by Thursday, Dec. 2, and announced during the FFTH live broadcast.
Upcoming events
Check out upcoming events in November. More information to come.
- Food For Fines (Nov. 4 to Dec. 11)
- Battle of the Coffee Shops (Nov. 6 to Nov. 20)
- Turkey Trot (Nov. 26)
- Mount Vernon Christmas Walk (Nov. 27)
- KCCC Online Auction (Nov. 28 to Dec. 10)
To learn more, call Executive Director Lisa Mazzari at 740-481-2444 or email LisaM.ffth@gmail.com.
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