SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 1, 2015) – On a recent afternoon, a young mother knocked on the door at Jubilee Project. Accompanied by her two small children, she apologetically asked Linda Stransky if she was eligible to receive food from the pantry.

“I know I was here about a month ago, but we are totally out of groceries,” the mother said.

Stransky assured her that the emergency food pantry at Jubilee Project doesn’t set limits, especially when children are hungry.

Thanks to a 10,000-pound donation of food received on Sept. 28, Jubilee Project will now be even more ready to help hungry families in Hancock County.

In celebration of Hunger Action Month, Jubilee Project was one of 38 local food pantries receiving donations of food or service hours, provided by Food Lion.

“It’s a big stress for people in poverty to wonder if they are going to have anything to eat tomorrow,” said Stranksky, executive director of the United Methodist mission agency. “This way, they know for sure they will have something to eat. … That makes a huge difference in the community.”

Fifteen managers from Food City stores in Gate City, Va., and Johnson City, Mountain City, and Church Hill, Tenn., helped unload the food pallets and stock them in Jubilee’s pantry shelves. The groceries included tuna, peanut butter, jelly, canned collard greens, peas, potatoes, beef stew, and corn flakes.

“It makes us feel good to give back to the people who shop with us,” said John McConnell, assistant store manager in Church Hill.

During the month of September, Food Lion associates volunteered at 38 local food pantries, including Community Food Connections in Maryville, Tenn., and Lee University's Leonard Center in Cleveland, Tenn. The effort helped the grocer take another step toward its commitment of providing 500 million meals by the end of 2020.

Hunger Action Month, held annually in September, is a nationwide campaign to mobilize action on the issue of hunger.

Jubilee Project is a Second Harvest Food Bank Agency.

See also:

Food Lion's report on their visit to Jubilee Project.