Food pantry bind eased by Villages
“Our Villages’ Admiral’s Club (the community’s residents) raised $800 and The Villages of Farragut company matched it with $800,” said Sandi Simpson, events director for The Villages of Farragut, 230 Village Commons Blvd.
Simpson and Villages’ chef Colin Berke presented the $1,600 monetary donation, along with a pick-up truck filled with food and other donations, to Shepherd of Hope coordinator Jan Darnell at the church, 225 Jamestowne Blvd.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Darnell said. “You look at how it happened, and it is a God thing. He takes care of us.”
“It’s good to give back to the community,” Berke said.
“We’re so glad we could do it,” said Simpson, who heard about the pantry’s need from her sister, who volunteers for the pantry.
“We were having our drive-by Father’s Day parade,” she recalled, and decided to combine the two events by asking participants to donate items.
“There were a lot of people who drove by and dropped off food, just from seeing the ad in the (farragut)press. “It’s just one of those God things.”
Shepherd of Hope food pantry serves residents in and around Farragut with no restrictions.
“We don’t turn anyone away,” Darnell said. “The last time (it gave out food) we had 85 families.
“Sometimes they go over 100 families, sometimes more,” she added. “We can get as many as 500 people (a month).”
After the coronavirus pandemic started in March, Darnell said, “We’re not able to buy in bulk. We still can’t.”
She had made orders with local grocery stores, but even they have had trouble getting items in stock.
“They know what I need and they’ll put in the order … and it just doesn’t come in,” Darnell said. “They’re running into the same thing … they’re doing the best thing they can, too, but they’re running into problems getting things also.
“Certain things are just not available,” she added.
Every two weeks — the first and third Monday of each month — families can come in and get a month’s worth of items.
The pantry is open to receive food from 3 to 5 p.m., the first Monday, and from 3 to 7 p.m., the third Monday. Recipients only need a federal or state photo ID, such as a driver’s license.
Donations can be made in baskets at each church entry.
For more information, call the church at 865-966-9626.
