Thank you for your support and the support of your congregation for the growing ministries of the International Council of Community Churches: support by prayer, by involvement and by material gifts.
ICCC Churches in Action
We are blessed in that we are located, in the center of downtown Florence, Alabama. Serving the community is one of our main endeavors. Hunger is everywhere and affects more people in our community than one might expect. For more than ten years the Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center Family has hosted an annual winter food giveaway. The idea of feeding the hungry was initiated by church member, Mrs. Katie Anderson. The entire church family agreed that it was a fantastic idea! More than ten years later, the TVCCC Family hosts the annual food giveaway. Each family receives enough food to feed them from five to seven days. Items included in the giveaway are: Ground beef, chicken, salt pork, butter, can goods, cereal, snack cakes, soups/soup mixes, dried beans, peanut butter, jelly, bread, potatoes, fresh fruit, sugar, and kool-aid. Previously, paper products have also been given away. Often times, larger families are given even more food. The only stipulation is that each family receives only one food giveaway package per household. On Thursday and Friday, the week of the giveaway, foods are purchased and sorted into two large boxes per household. Cold foods are added on Saturday morning. As soon as all boxes are complete, the doors of the Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center basement are opened, and the giveaway begins! At past giveaways, as many as one hundred forty families have been served. February 2019 one hundred twenty-five families were served.
d, to return on the following Sunday, after worship service, to receive additional items. Because shopping for clothes can be tiring, shoppers were given a brown paper bag lunch to go. On the outside of the bag was a sticker, with the times of Worship Service and Bible Study at Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center.
Above, most of the PCC Volunteers pose for a photoWe are a small church but we prefer to think about what we can do, not what we can’t do, as we remember our reason for being – we exist to follow the commands of Jesus to love God, love our neighbor, and encourage others to do the same.
No one is quite sure how long Good Neighbors has been doing Christmas food baskets; we do know that Good Neighbors has been helping families in the Norris area in various ways for over 80 years. The 2017 Good Neighbors Christmas Food Basket and Toys Project is a great story about the community working together to accomplish something important, needed, and worthwhile.
Good Neighbors provided food boxes to 111 families comprised of about 240 individuals (plus vouchers to ten seniors to choose their own food). Angel Tree gifts, coordinated by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, were given to around 89 children from 38 families.
The success of this year’s project is due to the generosity of the churches, clubs, and individuals who donated funds and Angel Tree gifts; the area schools; and the many individuals from throughout the community who provided labor. A lot of labor is involved.
Again this year, the five area schools participated in several inspiring ways that taught good citizenship, helping others, and working together. The food drive involved the four schools of Andersonville Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Norris Elementary, and Norris Middle, which together collected around 123 milk crates-full of mostly canned goods. Half of these donations went toward filling the food baskets and the other half went to the Norris Food Pantry and the Community Action Commission of Anderson County for use in their food distribution programs.
Special recognition goes to the twenty-seven Seventh Grade students from Mrs. Horak’s 1st Block Class from Norris Middle School who ably and enthusiastically helped fill the baskets. A big thanks to a delegation from Anderson County High School for doing the heavy work of delivering the baskets and surplus donations. And, appreciation is due to the Community Ecumenical Youth Group who helped with sorting and filling.
Besides donated food, the food baskets also contained items like pasta and peanut butter, purchased from the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee; and staples like flour and sugar, produce, and a ham purchased from Archers Food Center. Also, some toys and clothing had to be purchased to supplement the Angel Tree donations so-as-to round out each child’s Christmas “wish list.”
The Good Neighbors team gives a heartfelt and most sincere thanks to our financial contributors and to the many persons from throughout the community who helped in one way or another. You should feel great about your part in making this past Christmas a special time for families in need.
Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2018, from your friends at the Norris Area Good Neighbors Bob Gregory, Coordinator.
Good Neighbors is a joint ministry of the Norris Religious Fellowship and area churches, including the Angel Tree gifts coordinated by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Tax deductible donations may be sent to Good Neighbors, c/o NRF, PO Box 267, Norris TN 37828. For information, call the church office at 865-494-7131. Sign-up for 2018 food baskets and toys is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 9 to noon, at the Fellowship Church.