Sue, a 30 year old single mother of three children all under the age of 10. Sue is trying to decide which overdue bills to pay this week. Sue makes $6.75/hour and works 25-30 hours a week at a fast food restaurant. She doesn't know how she could work anymore hours and manage the household. It seems like there is always something that needs done (i.e., laundry, dishes, homework help, and other home management activities). Most of the time, Sue manages to get by despite the fact that she has not received child support in months. Winter bills are expected to rise 70% and the amount needed to fill her gas tank has almost doubled in a year.

Daniel, 50, has been married to his wife Kathy for 20 years. He has two girls in junior high school. Daniel has just found out that he has lost his job after 23 years because his company is downsizing. He has found a part-time job making minimum wage, and Kathy continues to work part-time, also. Dan is grateful that he has been able to keep his home, but his insurance has lapsed, and there is no way he can come up with the money to make the Cobra payment. Dan has cut back on his blood pressure medication taking one every other day trying to make the prescription last.

Christmas is approaching and Linda, 80, lives alone in a 1/2 duplex. the heat was never turned on, and she cannot pay the past due amount. Linda struggles to keep warm with blankets and candles but is grateful to have a roof over her head. Then the unthinkable happens. In the middle of the night, she hears a pounding at the door. There is smoke everywhere. One of the candles caught fire to the sofa. Fortunately, no one was hurt from the fire, but everything else was burned and lost. The Red Cross is on the scene and will take care of her immediate needs, but in the long run, Linda has no other place to live. She has no money to replace clothing, furniture, or to restock her pantry shelves.

Drew, 23, is a recent college graduate living out of his car. He has no relatives who want to have anything to do with him. He has a part-time job and is making some money to survive. Whenever he can, Drew will stay on the couch of a friend, but doesn't like to "wear out his welcome" or take advantage of his friends, so he resorts back to his car. He is constantly searching the classified ads for full-time work, but has found nothing.

"These people and many more like them right here in Knox County have hard choices to make everyday. The good news is that we have a choice, too. We can make it a little easier for them, and that's what Knox County's Food For The Hungry drive is all about...people helping people."
--Dr. Dan Martin, MVNU President

How does Food For The Hungry Help These People?

Interchurch Social Services provides gasoline vouchers for out-of-town medial appointments and prescription vouchers to aid with heart and blood pressure medications, diabetes testing supplies, and antibiotics. As gas prices have risen, we have seen an increase in requests for those vouchers. We have also had more requests for gasoline vouchers for work related travel. This is a Catch 22. Without gas for your vehicle, you are unable to get to work. If you are unable to get to work, you don't get paid and eventually you lose your job. Your family then requires much more assistance to maintain your household.

The absence of the grant funds has greatly impacted our ability to provide assistance with gasoline and prescriptions. All services are dependant on availability and income guidelines do apply.