2016 marks the 35th Anniversary of Food for the Hungry. This is the annual drive to collect food and funds to benefit Interchurch Social Services and The Salvation Army of Knox County. The calendar is full of events and special collections planned to support the annual drive.

Click HERE to read the history of how this drive started in 1982.

(Mount Vernon News article from 1982!)

Click HERE to read more about who we help. You can also find information at this link about our 2016 grant available to non-profit organizations with food initiatives. The deadline for the grant application is Monday, 11/28/16.

Click HERE to see the complete calendar of Food for the Hungry events in 2016.

WNZR is bringing you information about all events and collections connected to Food for the Hungry. The Morning Thing has been featuring conversations with committee members about these exciting events.

Click HERE to hear a conversation with Lisa Mazzari, Food For The Hungry Coordinator and Joy Harris, Executive Director of Interchurch Social Services of Knox County. Marcy Rinehart of The Morning Thing talks with the ladies about the power of this collection and the impact these donations make on the Knox County community.

Marcy also had a chance to talk with Lieutenants Gigi and Brandon Gonzalez-Cottrell of the Mount Vernon Salvation Army about how Food for the Hungry helps their ministry. Click HERE to hear this powerful conversation.

There are SO many organizations and individuals working to collect food and funds to support this outreach.

Psi Iota Xi and Delta Kappa Gamma sororities are working with the elementary students in our county. The incredible ladies from these two organizations have been working hard to encourage that ALL children in Knox County participate in Food for the Hungry.
Elementary schools across the county held collections the week of 11/14 – 11/18. So far, we are seeing GREAT results from those collections! Over 14 pallets of food were picked up from Mount Vernon elementary schools on Monday 11/21! That is amazing!
Click HERE to hear how Food for the Hungry representatives responded to the news of this amazing collection.

So how can YOU get involved?

#1 – Exercise!
Get up early and get some exercise on Thanksgiving morning. Come to the 6th annual Turkey Trot! Click HERE for more details from Scott Burgess from “We Run MV”.
Sign-in starts at 8:00AM on race day at the MVNU Chapel with the race to start at
9:00AM.

(2015 Turkey Trot at MVNU)

#2 – Shop in an auction!
The Knox County Career Center is hosting TWO auctions to benefit Food for the Hungry. The online auction features gift certificates from labs at the Career Center. Go to www.knoxcountycareercenter.yolasite.com to place your bid. There is a safe and easy form to fill out at the bottom of the website.
Bidding ends at 5pm on Friday, 12/9. The winning bidders will be announced at the Food For The Hungry broadcast at 12:30pm on Saturday, 12/10.

The Knox County Career Center is also hosting a LIVE Auction of amazing gift baskets! This will take place at around 12:45pm during the Food For The Hungry broadcast.
There are 6 baskets ranging in value from $356 to $1277!
Tune in to Time Warner Cable channel 9 or to WMVO 1300AM and 100.9FM on Saturday at 12:30pm and place your bid! You can also place an advanced bid by calling John Feltman at 740-507-5386.

SEE the baskets and complete contents at www.knoxcountycareercenterbaskets.yolasite.com

You can also SEE the baskets THIS SUNDAY (11/27) at the Mount Vernon Christmas Walk. Stop by Hunter Hall (where Happy Bean is located) and see the baskets on display in the conference room. You can also go ahead and place a silent bid for your favorite basket.

Click HERE to hear Marcy’s conversation with KCCC Student Services Principal, John Feltman about the Career Center’s involvement with Food for the Hungry. We are SO proud of these amazing young people.

(Vacation Basket valued at over $1,300!)

#3 – Get dressed up, go to dinner and support FFTH!
Kenyon College is hosting the 6^th annual Snowflake Gala Dinner Auction to benefit Food for the Hungry on Friday, December 2^nd in Gund Commons. Enjoy dinner prepared by the talented chefs of AVI Food Systems. This year’s dinner will feature a buffet of locally sourced foods, with both non-vegetarian (beef and pork) and vegetarian options. Reservations accepted NO LATER than THIS FRIDAY, November 25, 2016.

Click HERE to hear Marcy’s conversation with Matt Starr of I-Conn Video Production about the event details, this year’s honorees and how you can donate through the “Fund-a-Cause” live auction.
The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.. Individual tickets are priced at $100 per person. To reserve your place, call 740-427-5111. Online registration and payment options are available at www.foodforthehungrycares.org, click the Auctions Tab and then Kenyon Gala Dinner and Auction. Proceeds from this annual gala benefit needy families and individuals in our own county. If you or your company would like to sponsor a table ($1,000 for eight people) or support the gala in some other way, please contact Kathryn Brechler Lake at 740-427-5111.

(Kenyon Gala pictures from previous years)

Is that all that is happening? NO!
There are MANY MANY events happening to support Food for the Hungry.
Keep checking back to this blog and listening to The Morning Thing weekdays from
6-9am. We will keep you up to date on how you get you and your family plugged into an event.
Right now you can click HERE to see a full calendar of upcoming events.
Click HERE for information on how you can volunteer!

Join WNZR at the 35^th annual Food for the Hungry drive, Saturday, December 10^th. We will broadcast from City Hall from 9am to 5pm providing updates on the total and all activities. The Big Blue Crew wants YOUR help in supporting Interchurch Social Services and the Salvation Army.

For more information, log on to www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.

Food For The Hungry – Working together to care for our neighbors.