Laura Booker (left) and Sheila Spears set the bar high for the Sumner County FSA Service Center to collect 2,000 pounds of food during the national Feds, Farmers and Friends Feed Families initiative, which ends today.
Farm Service Agency employees in Sumner County, Tenn., jumped feet first in to the national Feds, Farmers and Friends Feed Families initiative, which started in July. Two weeks ago, the team was a few pounds shy of their 2,000 pound goal.
As of the Sept. 14 deadline to complete the food drive, the Sumner County FSA met its goal and will distribute 2,000 pounds of food to area residents in need.
“I am very pleased with the food drive efforts that have been made in Sumner County,” said CED Dave McDole, “More especially I appreciate the effort that has been made by Laura Booker and Shelia Spears that is benefiting the families in need in our county.”
Booker and Spears, both program technicians, knew they needed to develop several avenues to collect donations to reach their goal. They reached out to local stores and received donations from Wal-Mart, Fred’s, H G Hills, Kroger, T & R Market and Save-A-Lot. They also received individual donations.
But more was needed. So the pair contacted the Sumner County probation office, which requires offenders to donate canned food items at their sessions. They were able to collect those canned goods biweekly.
“There were a couple of instances when we had full SUV truck loads,” said Spears. “And of course, employees also made donations to the cause.”
All of the proceeds will benefit Roberts Tabernacle Church and Lakeside Church in Westmoreland, Tenn., and Rome Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. Part of the proceeds also will go to Gallatin Child Care Center, a non-profit day care center in Gallatin, Tenn.
“Since we were within mere pounds of hitting the 2,000 pound mark a few weeks ago, we had a positive attitude about the possibility of collecting enough food to surpass our personal goal of 2,000 pounds,” said Spears. “This is such a worthy cause, I’m grateful that we had a successful food drive so the people in our community can receive assistance and help in their time of need.”
— by Murray Dale Watts, FSA Southeast Region public affairs specialist
