Williamson County organizations band together to feed the hungry

Amid the global spread of COVID-19, many people are suffering from the loss of a job and income. 

In Williamson County, several organizations have taken action to eliminate hunger in the community.

Franklin Special School District

As part of their child nutrition program, Franklin Special School District is distributing meals to children throughout the community. On Thursday, a school bus began delivering hot and cold lunches and breakfast. They served 138 children, said FSSD Child Nutrition Supervisor Robbin Cross.

With spring break beginning March 16, Cross said the district had to gain special permission to begin serving meals through an extension of their Seamless Summer program. That program allows children living in eligible areas of the city or coming to open sites to receive food. 

Proud of our FSSD family for stepping up and filling the need. Thank you Ms. Kim for driving. pic.twitter.com/55CO7v7ba8

— FSSD Child Nutrition (@fssdcn) March 19, 2020

Cross said Poplar Grove and Liberty Elementary Schools began hosting food drive-thru sites from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Signs point to the location of the drive on the school campus. Meals are provided to children ages 18 and younger, who must simply be present in the vehicle to receive two free breakfasts and a hot and cold lunch. 

The bus will continue to run in the Franklin Housing Authority neighborhood off Natchez Street and through Franklin Estates. They have also started running a bus with meals through the Cadet Place neighborhood off Liberty Pike.

GraceWorks Ministries

Franklin nonprofit GraceWorks has had to modify their schedule services due to the outbreak. They closed to the public on Wednesday, March 18, reopening the next day with modified hours and services through April 4. 

Drive-thru food distribution will be available at their warehouse, located at 104 Southeast Parkway, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, and Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. Rent and utility bill assistance will continue to be available by phone call only, at 615-794-9055.

During this time period, the thrift store will be closed, and donations will not be accepted.

With an uptick in services being requested, the team is also working towards hosting mobile food drives. The cancellation of two fundraising events and loss of income from the thrift store have led Graceworks to seek donations from the community to continue serving everyone’s needs.

For more information, visit graceworksministries.net.

One Generation Away

The food pantry has stepped up operations since the Nashville tornado on March 3 and continues to search for ways to serve the community during the disease outbreak.

The next mobile pantry in Williamson County is scheduled for April 4 at Johnson Elementary in Franklin, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Country music singer Martina McBride is raising money for One Gen Away through her own nonprofit, Team Music is Love. As an extension of her fundraiser for relief following the Nashville tornado, the organization has launched a GoFundMe page to fund food purchases for One Gen Away throughout the coming weeks. Donate at gofundme.com/f/martinamcbride.

Radio station 94FM The Fish is also raising money for One Gen Away with a Radiothon on Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25. The station is seeking volunteers to answer phones and take donor information. Click this link to sign up. 

The Downtown Franklin Rotary and Leadership Franklin have teamed up to host a food drive specifically for canned corn, peanut butter and canned chicken and tuna. Donations can be dropped off to the rear of the Graceworks building, in boxes labeled “Mind the Gap.”

The Well Outreach, Spring Hill

The Well is having their first mobile food pantry drive-thru on Saturday, March 21, beginning at 9 a.m. at Spring Hill High School. 

Everyone is welcome, but the organizers ask recipients to bring a photo ID and to be prepared to wait in their cars until they can be served, as volunteers will seek to limit physical contact. For more information and to see a map with details, visit springhillwell.org.

Daughters of the King

Daughters of the King in Franklin and community partners are preparing meals and giving away free lunch plates to the general public on Tuesdays from noon-2 p.m. starting March 24.

Pastor Kevin Riggs with Franklin Community Church is providing space for the weekly event at the Natchez Street Community Center, located at 233 Natchez Street in Franklin. Partners involved carrying out the team effort from now through April include Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church on March 31, Franklin United Methodist Church on April 7 and 28, Daughters of the King on April 14 and St. Paul's Episcopal Church on April 21.

According to Daughters of the King, if the center remains open and local government mandates allow, they will continue this effort every Tuesday beyond the month of April for as long as needed.