New Mission of Hope exec. director seeks Town help for Christmas Drive
As Farragut resident David Heatherly moves through the transition phase as new Mission of Hope executive director, MOH carries on its Cyber Barrel Christmas Drive, which started Nov. 1 and will continue to Monday, Dec. 5.
“We’re in the middle of doing our 27th Christmas Drive, where we collect new toys, new clothing, non-perishable food and hygiene items,” said Emmette Thompson, retiring MOH executive director. “You go online and it tells you how you can purchase something.”
“We have already selected toys and clothing items on our online registry, and the registries on Amazon, Target and Walmart,” MOH operations assistant Becky Mills said. “You go to the (MOH) website or scan a QR code (and) it will take you directly to the page that will link to our registry.
“The items that are purchased off the registry are shipped directly to our warehouse,” Mills added.
Additionally, she said there are blue barrels available at Barnes & Noble, Fisher Tire, Food City and Home Federal. “It’s been a blessed opportunity for me,” Thompson said of his 23 years as MOH executive director. “The Mission of Hope that focuses on rural Appalachian communities that are kind of off the beaten path, and we work through schools and what we call Mountain Ministry Centers.
“Most of the areas we go to are pretty rural, not always near an interstate highway, but we’ve been blessed to find a way to work through schools and Mountain Ministries to help them help their people,” he added. “We operate like a tree through two roots and five branches,” providing resource distribution, a back-to-school program, evangelism and outreach services, a mentoring program, Christmas program and college scholarships.
Learnmore MOH about volunteer and donating opportunities at missionofhope.org.
