16,040 Meals Distributed: Summer 2022
This Summer, we helped distribute 16,040 meals to Pleasantville Kids and Teens! A total of 4,010 Bags were passed out, each containing two breakfasts and two lunches. Knoxville Food Youth Initiative has worked so hard to meet Pleasantville’s requested numbers, and we were so blessed to work with them to get those meals into the hands of our community members. They serve not only Pleasantville, but Knoxville, Melcher, and more!
Teens and kids showed up with parents to pick up their meals. They also came on their own, pulling wagons or riding their bicycles. We loved serving them and getting to say hello every Monday Wednesday and Friday.
Over the summer, we had many incredible volunteers who helped us! We would like to give a special shout-out to teens Reagan Murray and Adoniah Koenig who were present almost every day that we distributed meals. Also to the many little ones who came along with their moms or grandmas to help out!
A HUGE thanks goes to Pleasantville’s St. Paul United Methodist Church for the use of their facility, and for the women who volunteered each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Their hard work, hospitality, and joyful presence reminded us so much of Jesus, who they love and serve.
And we can’t forget to say thank you to our dear friend Jim Brees, who delivered the meals and took care of much of the heavy lifting every single day. Selfless, helpful, and generous, we looked forward to hearing his big booming “hello!” each time he arrived. His arms were always full of boxes and coolers, or popsicles he brought for the children who were helping.
We love our community. We were so happy to help serve them this summer!
Over 3,000 Meals Distributed to Pleasantville Kids & Teens
This summer, PvilleYI partnered with Knoxville Youth Food Initiative (KYFI) and St Pauls United Methodist Church to deliver free meals to Pleasantville’s Kids and Teens. KYFI delivered around 100 meals each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to Saint Paul’s Family Center where PvilleYI and church volunteers worked together to distribute the meals.
At the summer’s end, we had distributed over 3,000 meals in Pleasantville. This is an incredible blessing to the children, teens, and to their families.
We cannot thank KYFI enough for all they are doing in Marion County, and for letting us partner with them in this work. We are also so incredibly grateful to the folks at St. Paul’s, for not only letting us using their facility but for showing up each and every MWF to help. What an incredible example of being the hands and feet of Jesus!
We will continue to partner with KYFI for at least the next 5 years to supply Pleasantville kids and teens with much needed nutrition during the summer!
