Food For The Hungry awards $53,500 in winter grants to 22 Knox County organizations

The annual Food For The Hungry Drive officially kicked off on Nov. 7, as a community-wide effort to raise food and funds for Interchurch Social Services, The Salvation Army, and other organizations throughout the county with food assistance initiatives. In Food For The Hungry’s 44th year of helping the community, it has established a financial Drive Goal of $340,000 and hopes to collect as many non-perishable food items as the community can donate. 

Food for the Hungry is a nonprofit organization focused on providing food and financial support to entities striving to reduce hunger in Knox County. To accomplish this mission, there is a food and money drive consisting of multiple events culminating in a one-day simulcast (broadcast online and via the radio) on the second Friday of December. The 2025 Drive will take place on Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Each year, FFTH awards Winter Grants that enable Knox County organizations to provide food to those in need. To assess the community's needs, FFTH opened its Winter Grant Application from Oct. 1-31 and received an exceptional response. Each organization was able to express its particular needs. Funds from the 2024 FFTH Drive were allocated for this year's Winter Grants; however, the FFTH Grants Committee faced a challenge as the need shared by applicants was greater than the budgeted amount for Winter Grants. Understanding the growing need in our community, the FFTH Grants Committee decided to use reserve funds from previous years when the FFTH Campaign Goals were met and exceeded. After careful review of the applications by the FFTH Grant Committee, FFTH is honored to award a total of $53,500 in grant funds to 22 different organizations. The grant recipients are as follows:

•ACTS Food Pantry - $3,000

•Afterglow Christian Mission House - $1,000

•Alcohol & Drug Freedom Center Knox County - $1,500

•Central Christian Church Food Pantry - $3,500

•CHOMP Free Fresh Produce Market - $2,500

•Church on the Rise Food Pantry - $3,500

•Covenant Church Food Pantry - $3,500

•East Knox Schools/First Church of the Nazarene Weekend Meals for Students - $3,000

•Escape Zone - $2,500

•First Church of the Nazarene/Foster Ministry Center Food Pantry & Hot Meal - $6,000

•First Presbyterian Church Hot Meal - $2,500

•Fredericktown Senior Activity Center - $1,500

•Gay Street United Methodist Church Hot Meals - $2,500

•Jacqueline McCalla-Cordle Children’s Fund (Spring Break distribution) - $1,500

•Knox County Career Center Food Pantry - $2,500

•Knox County Head Start School Break Food Boxes - $3,000

•Knox County Task Force For Older Adults Holiday Meals for Homebound Seniors - $1,500

•LifePointe Church Backpacks of Hope - $3,000

•Mount Vernon Association of Police Chaplains First Response Family Support - $1,000

•Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church Sunday Sanctuary Hot Meal - $1,500

•TouchPointe Marriage and Family Resources - $1,500

•Winter Sanctuary Emergency Homeless Shelter - $1,500

The recipients will use their grants for food initiatives that range from food pantries to weekend meal assistance for students. Each recipient will be recognized during the 2025 FFTH Live Broadcast that will take place on Friday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Memorial Theater inside the Knox Memorial. Grant recipients will be approached shortly after Thanksgiving about an interview on the broadcast. FFTH Live will be available on 100.9 FM and 93.7 HD2 - WMVO, with video streams at www.mvnu.tv and the FFTH YouTube channel. Updates will be given throughout the day on 90.9 FM WNZR, 93.7 FM, The Super Q, and FFTH social media.  

To learn more about FFTH, donate, or find photos, videos, and more, visit www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.