Tag: food

Interchurch Social Services’ Director Talks Surging Need, Community Support, and Hope in Knox County

Interchurch Social Services Executive Director Carolyn Fergus recently sat down with WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart to talk about the growing need they’re seeing across Knox County.

Click HERE to hear the full interview!

Fergus, who has been with Interchurch for three and a half years and oversees all four branches, says the number of families asking for help has more than tripled since last year. So far in 2025, Interchurch has already provided more than 189,000 meals, a number she says shows just how challenging things have become for many local families.

Right now, Fergus says volunteers are their biggest need. Some days, the Mount Vernon pantry alone serves up to 50 families, which puts a huge strain on their team. Mount Vernon has seen the largest spike in need, but thankfully the other branches have been able to step in and support where they can.

Fergus also shared the story behind the two pop-up food distributions they held this fall. These events were created to help people who couldn’t get to their main locations but still needed immediate support.

Donations continue to be important, especially canned goods like beans, which always seem to run out quickly. Fergus pointed out that even small financial gifts go a long way—every $1 donated turns into about $4.56 worth of food through their partnerships.

Interchurch offers more than food, too. Fergus talked about the other services they provide, including rental and deposit assistance, help with utilities and prescriptions, gas vouchers, and more. She’s already looking ahead to 2026 and hopes they’ll be able to expand their storage space to meet the rising demand.

When asked how people can pray for them, Fergus mentioned rest for their volunteers, patience, and the ability to show Christ’s love to everyone who walks through their doors. She’s been connected with Food For The Hungry almost since its beginning and says she’s passionate about serving local missions.

Fergus ended the conversation with a story that gives a glimpse into the lives of the people Interchurch serves. She hopes more people will get involved, reminding listeners that everyone deserves a good meal—and to know that someone cares. She says Food For The Hungry’s slogan, “Working together to care for our neighbors,” perfectly captures why this work matters so much to her.

Click HERE to learn more about Interchurch Social Services!

Click HERE to learn more about Food For The Hungry!

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The KCCC Food for the Hungry Basket Auction 2025 Is Now Live!

Jim Riggle, the Principal of Academics, Attendance, and Discipline at the Knox County Career Center, recently chatted with WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart about this year’s big event.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Jim has been involved with the basket auction for seven years and shared why it’s such a highlight for the community. The auction officially kicked off at midnight on Cyber Monday, and bidding will wrap up on December 12th.

  • Here is a complete list of the baskets up for bid during the auction!
    • Click HERE for Care Care 1 Basket
    • Click HERE for Care Care 2 Basket
    • Click HERE for the Downtown Date Night Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Family Fun Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Foodies Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Gallagher Center Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Hers basket.
    • Click HERE for the His Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Kid’s Electric Bicycle Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Lashley Training Center Memberships.
    • Click HERE for the Mohican Getaway Basket.
    • Click HERE for the Northern Getaway basket.
    • Click HERE for the OSU Basket.
    • Click HERE for Pork BBQ Basket 1
    • Click HERE for Pork BBQ Basket 2
    • Click HERE for the Wood Pellet (1 ton) Basket.

Jim Riggle shared some insights about the Food for the Hungry Basket Auction. He explained how easy it is to check your bids and get involved, and he made sure to give a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who helps make the auction possible.

He also talked about why these baskets are such a big deal. They give students in different Career Center labs a chance to showcase their skills, gain hands-on experience, and have some fun in the process. Jim highlighted how incredible the students are and shared a special moment from the first Chance Application Night, where former students returned to make the evening truly memorable.

Wrapping up, Jim expressed his gratitude for the community’s support. He said he feels especially blessed this year and is excited to celebrate 44 years of the Food for the Hungry program. He also reflected on what FFTH’s slogan means to him, emphasizing the sense of community and shared purpose behind the auction.

Click HERE to find out more about Food For The Hungry!

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Thanksgiving is 1 week away! Are you ready?

Today, The Morning Thing shared some great advice on how to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Here are some great tips that we found online to help you plan ahead and be ready to enjoy this special holiday.

🛒 1. Plan and Shop

  • Finalize your menu. Decide exactly what dishes you’ll serve (and what guests might bring).
  • Make a detailed grocery list. Include all ingredients, drinks, and supplies like foil, plastic wrap, and napkins.
  • Do your big grocery run. Get non-perishables, frozen items, and anything that can store well for a week. (Avoid the last-minute rush!)
  • Order your turkey. If you haven’t yet, make sure it’s purchased or reserved.

🦃 2. Prep the Turkey

  • If you bought a frozen turkey, move it to the fridge to thaw — it can take up to 4–5 days depending on the size.
  • Check you have a roasting pan, thermometer, and carving knife.

🍽️ 3. Get Your Kitchen Ready

  • Clean out the fridge to make space for ingredients and leftovers.
  • Sharpen knives and clean cookware, baking sheets, and serving dishes.
  • Label serving platters or sticky-note them (“mashed potatoes here,” “stuffing here”) to stay organized.

🏡 4. Prepare Your Home

  • Clean main areas (kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, entryway).
  • Plan table seating and décor. Make sure you have enough chairs, plates, glasses, and utensils.
  • Set aside time to decorate — candles, fall centerpieces, or a festive tablecloth go a long way.

🕒 5. Plan the Timeline

  • Create a cooking schedule for the week and Thanksgiving Day. (e.g., pies the day before, casseroles in the morning, turkey in at noon.)
  • Make a to-do list for each day leading up to the holiday.

👪 6. Coordinate with Guests

  • Confirm who’s coming and what time they’ll arrive.
  • Double-check who’s bringing what dishes or drinks.
  • Plan for any dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.).

🍰 7. Start Early Prep

  • Make and freeze pie dough, casseroles, or rolls if possible.
  • Chop veggies ahead of time and store them in labeled containers.
  • Prepare any make-ahead dishes like cranberry sauce or gravy base.
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Byron Saunders Foundation Helps Give Thanksgiving Meals to Families in Need

Ginny Williams talked with WNZR’s Eric Brown about the Byron Saunders Foundation and some of it’s history.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

It started in 2003 with only 20 meals and its grown so much. It started with the idea of just helping families have meals and it’s grown to be such a large part of Thanksgiving. It just started with people checking on neighbors and now it gone beyond that to a widespread to reach families and have a meal on Thanksgiving.

Ginny talks about how families can get a meal for Thanksgiving. All you have to do is either call or text to get a full boxed meal and certificate to get meats for Thanksgiving by calling 740-324-9503 to help get signed up.

The last pickup for the year is this Saturday, November 22nd at their new facility at Habitat for Humanity in Mount Vernon.

She also talks about ways you can help support their work through donations and volunteering. The Knox County community has been very supportive, and they’ve been so blessed with smaller groups who’ve done food drives with a small list of things they need for their meal boxes. They sell tickets at the Knox County Fair and she explains how the community helps with that as well as other fundraisers run to help them as well as the Food for the hungry who helps support them as well as so many others.

She also thanks Habitat for Humanity and their help by giving them a permanent location and they’re so thankful for having a location and not having to go from place to place to try to keep working all year. She’s so thankful for the community support to keep this foundation working.

She talks about the goals for the community to end the season, they need volunteers for the ticket booth at the Knox County fairgrounds. If you see something for their foundation, put some nonperishable food in there like cans, or call their number.

They have food that needs to be delivered for them if you have time to help them and helping people who can’t go to get their turkey.

Click HERE to find out more about the Byron Saunders Foundation.

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Easy vegetable recipes to eat healthier!

Today on The Morning Thing, we honored National Eat Your Vegetables Day! We shared shared a lot of information on the day and how to celebrate it. As well as many fantastic vegetable centric recipes for you to use! These recipes are easy, quick, tasty, and you can customize them any way you like.

Here are our recipes:

Rainbow Veggie Wraps 

  • Ingredients: 
  • Whole wheat tortillas 
  • Hummus or cream cheese 
  • Shredded carrots 
  • Sliced cucumbers 
  • Baby spinach 
  • Red bell pepper strips 
  • Purple cabbage, shredded 
  • Directions: 

Spread hummus or cream cheese on a tortilla. Layer the veggies in rainbow order. Roll tightly and slice into pinwheels if desired. 

Cheesy Broccoli Bites 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 2 cups steamed, chopped broccoli 
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs 
  • 1 egg 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • Directions: 

Mix all ingredients and form into small balls or patties. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Stuffed Bell Peppers 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 4 bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed 
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa or rice 
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed 
  • 1 cup corn 
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes 
  • 1 tsp cumin 
  • Shredded cheese (optional) 
  • Directions: 

Mix filling ingredients, stuff peppers, and bake at 375°F for 30–35 minutes. Top with cheese for the last 5 minutes if desired. 

Crispy Zucchini Fries 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 2 zucchinis, cut into fries 
  • 1 egg, beaten 
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko preferred) 
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 
  • Italian seasoning 
  • Directions: 

Dip zucchini in egg, then breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until crispy. 

Summer Corn & Tomato Salad 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 2 cups fresh corn (cut from cob or thawed frozen) 
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion 
  • Fresh basil, chopped 
  • Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper 
  • Directions: 

Toss everything together and chill before serving. 

Ratatouille Skillet 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 1 eggplant, diced 
  • 1 zucchini, sliced 
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped 
  • 1 yellow squash, sliced 
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 
  • Garlic and Italian herbs 
  • Directions: 

Sauté all veggies until soft, then stir in tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread. 

Garden Veggie Pasta Salad 

  • Ingredients: 
  • 2 cups cooked pasta 
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes 
  • ½ cup cucumbers 
  • ½ cup red onion 
  • ½ cup broccoli florets 
  • Italian dressing 
  • Directions: 

Toss cooked pasta with chopped veggies and dressing. Chill and serve. 

Veggie Tacos 

  • Ingredients: 
  • Corn or flour tortillas 
  • Sautéed bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms 
  • Avocado slices 
  • Salsa or hot sauce 
  • Directions: 

Warm tortillas, fill with sautéed veggies and toppings. Add lime juice or cheese if desired. 

Some fun ways to Celebrate!

🥦 National Eat Your Vegetables Day – 20 Fun Ways to Celebrate!

Celebrate June 17th with healthy, tasty fun!

🥕 Fun & Tasty Celebrations

· • Veggie Taste Test Challenge – Try a new vegetable or compare raw vs. cooked.

· • Build-Your-Own Salad Bar – Offer a variety of greens, toppings, and dressings.

· • Make Veggie-Based Snacks – Try carrot fries, cucumber boats, or zucchini chips.

· • Go Meatless for a Meal – Choose one meal to go fully plant-based.

· • Juice or Smoothie Station – Blend up colorful veggie smoothies.

· • Cook a Rainbow – Make a dish using veggies of every color.

· • Veggie Potluck – Invite friends or coworkers to share veggie dishes.

🎨 Creative & Educational Activities

· • Veggie Art or Carving – Make funny faces or sculptures using vegetables.

· • “Name That Veggie” Game – Blindfold taste tests or silhouette guessing.

· • Visit or Plant a Garden – Explore where veggies come from or plant seeds together.

· • Veggie Storytime – Read books like ‘Eating the Alphabet’ or ‘Rah, Rah, Radishes!’

· • Veggie Bingo – Create a card with different veggies to encourage variety.

📱 Social & Community Engagement

· • Share a Veggie Recipe Online – Post your favorite veggie dish on social media.

· • Host a Cooking Demo – Teach others how to cook a veggie meal (live or virtual).

· • Visit a Farmer’s Market – Buy and try local, seasonal vegetables.

· • Volunteer – Help at a food pantry or community garden.

🏆 Healthy Competitions & Challenges

· • “Most Veggies in a Day” Contest – Track how many servings you eat.

· • Veggie Selfie Challenge – Snap a pic with your veggie plate and tag friends.

· • Veggie Tracker – Compete to try the most different veggies during the week.

· • Prizes & Stickers – Reward yourself or kids with veggie-themed goodies.

Eat smart. Have fun. Share the love of veggies!

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Emergency Dinners for When You Don’t Have Time to Cook

Sometimes you need to be an adult and cook even when you may not want to do so.
Marcy discussed some emergency meals from AllRecipes.com on the Morning Thing Thursday.

She shared:


Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
Prep Time:

5 mins
Cook Time:

10 mins
Total Time:

15 mins
Ingredients
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets
Directions

  1. Set an oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil.
  2. Mix Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt together in a bowl until well combined.
  3. Arrange tilapia fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan.
  4. Broil in the preheated oven for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven and spread Parmesan mixture over fillets. Return to the oven and broil until topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork, about 2 more minutes; be careful not to overcook.

4-Ingredient Hamburger Casserole
Prep Time:

10 mins
Cook Time:

35 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Ingredients
• 8 ounces pasta
• 1 pound ground beef
• salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
• 10 ounces tomato soup, canned or homemade
• 8 to 10 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in pasta and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 2 tablespoons pasta water.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drain and discard grease.
  4. Place ground beef in a large round casserole dish. Add pasta on top; sprinkle with half the cheese. Pour tomato soup on top; add reserved pasta water and stir everything together well. Cover with foil.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more.
  6. Turn on the oven’s broiler and set a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Broil casserole until cheese is browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
    Cook’s Note
    This is a very adaptable recipe. Add as much cheese as you want and experiment with the timing. My husband had two huge helpings and said it was one of the best ground beef casseroles ever. Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Pasta

Ingredients
Your choice of Pasta
Your Choice of Cream Cheese
Your Choice of Pasta Sauce
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Directions
The recipe is as easy as recipes get. All you do is boil your pasta, then heat the pasta sauce and cream cheese together on the stove until warmed through so that the cream cheese has melted to create a creamy sauce. Then combine the sauce and pasta, and top with optional Parmesan cheese.

2 Ingredient Dollar Store Dinner

Ingredients
1 Package of Idahoan Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes
1 can of your choice of beef stew

Directions

  1. Boil 2 cups of water to add to the instant potatoes, stir it up (for even more flavor I also like to add in some butter, salt, and pepper), and place it at the bottom of your serving bowl. Want to make it even easier? I just microwave the water until it’s steaming hot, about 2 minutes, and then mix the potato flakes in.
  2. Transfer the stew to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in 30-second blasts until heated through. Serve the stew on top of the mashed potatoes.

Click HERE for 20 Emergency Dinner Ideas from AllRecipe.com

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The Morning Thing Friday Favorites 1/3/25

January is National Soup Month. Today for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts shared about their favorite soups.

Click HERE to hear from Shawn, Xander, Eric and Marcy.

Here is Eric’s Chili Recipe:
Ingredients

1 lbs burger/1lbs mild Italian sausage

2 cups of salsa

Bushs chili and beans

2 can pinto beans

2 can kidney beans

2 can black beans

1/2 tsp paprika

1 onion

1 cup water

1/4 cup chili powder

To garnish

Cheddar cheese

Sour cream 

Steps

  1. Brown beef and/or sausage
  2. Dice onion
  3. Add all ingredients except salsa to crockpot or large pot
  4. Cook on medium or medium high heat for a couple of hours
    1. Depends on how soft you want the beans
  5. 1 hour to half an hour before eating, add the salsa.
  6. Eat when you think its ready and enjoy!

Note: You can really eat whenever after the meat has been cooked because the other ingredients are not based on temperature to consume. 

You can also add any peppers or other ingredients you wish. 

Its YOUR chili, so have fun with it!

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Would you like to save money at the grocery store?

Did you know that in Ohio the average cost for groceries is over $392 per month per person?

The average grocery budget for a family of 3 can vary depending on factors like location and dietary preferences. A moderate-cost plan can range from $387 to $1,031 per month, while a thrifty plan can range from $287 to $764 per month. WOW!

The Morning Thing shares some cost saving secrets to save money at the grocery store.

These tips are from CNBC. Click HERE to read the full article.

11 tips for saving money at the grocery store:

1. Pay with a grocery rewards card

2. Sign up for the loyalty program

3. Clip coupons

4. Join a wholesale club

5. Go in with a list and stick to it

6. Buy items on sale

7. Avoid pre-packaged items

8. Compare prices between stores

9. Buy generic brands

10. Bring your own bag

11. Use a rebate app

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Searching for the perfect burger?

It’s National Hamburger Month, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend! With summer coming just around the corner and things heating up, it’s the perfect time to break out that grill and try some of these delicious new burger combinations!

Click HERE to learn everything you need to know about National Hamburger Day and finding your new favorite burger!

You’ll find some delicious combination and topping ideas, like caramelized onions, cole slaw, avocado and more!

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Make your lunch breaks count for National Make Lunch Count Day

Today, April 13th, is National Make Lunch Count Day. Do you ever find yourself rushing through your lunch breaks at work, or do you work through them or even skip them altogether? While that may be tempting, it’s not good for you and your body. You should try to use your lunch breaks as just that – a break from work. To make your lunches count, leave the workplace if you can, pack a healthy lunch to take with you, resting, and getting the whole office involved in making lunches count.

Click HERE to learn more about National Make Lunch Count Day.

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