Sharing Thankfulness

By Paige Eisemann

November generally brings to mind the beginning of the holiday season. Thanksgiving menus are planned, arrangements to gather with family are made. Travel plans are booked, anticipation grows. Due to the coronavirus, many of us are questioning our usual way of celebrating the holiday for giving thanks. Not being able to enjoy a hearty meal with our loved ones might be frustrating, but there are many in our community who may have much larger worries.

Several ministries in the Clarksville area work throughout the year to offer assistance to families who may be in a time of need. They offer food boxes, hot meals, clothing, utility assistance, and more. Sometimes the public assumes that these ministries are only serving our homeless population, but that assumption is incorrect. Manna Cafe, The Well, and Loaves and Fishes are just a few of the organizations in our community who are hard at work to help provide for our neighbors, and make sure that this Thanksgiving everyone has something to be grateful for.

According to their website, Manna Café was chartered as a non-profit in February 2009; and shortly after the flood of 2010 Manna Café served its first mobile, outdoor hot meal to 35 guests in Clarksville. Since then, Manna Café has grown exponentially. One meal per week has become four, with peak attendance at 200+ people at a single meal. The Food Box Distribution Program (much like a large food pantry) grew from 200 food boxes in May 2010 to more than 25,000 boxes in 2014. In a single year,

Manna Café distributes 1.8 million pounds of food to local families. Food insecurity in Montgomery County involves more than 15% of the population (about 28,000 people). The percentage for children is 21.5%, a third of whom are not income-eligible for federal programs such as free school lunches. Their goal is to first meet people’s basic need for food, and then guide them toward positive, permanent change. The ministry is working to create Manna Village in New Providence, which will be the home of Manna Café’s main operations, such as food box distribution, storage, and office space. They still go into the community to do our community-based programs, such as Mobile Cafés and Mobile Pantries.

The Manna Village will be a centralized location to serve people with multiple resources. They are working to meet this challenge: even when agencies are willing to work together, people still have to find a way to get from one agency to the next. This means that the folks who have the fewest resources have to drive from agency to agency for help — if they’re lucky enough to have a car. If they don’t have a car, they might spend several hours walking or riding the bus to organizations where they may or may not get assistance.

Manna Café is creating a community of likeminded people and agencies who are committed to restoring the lives of those who need to get on their feet. What does this mean for Thanksgiving, especially in the year of COVID-19? This means there are even MORE people who are reaching out for help. Manna continues food distribution on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10AM-4PM. Hot meals will continue on Tuesday and Thursday Evenings as well Saturday mornings in the usual locations but will be distributed as to-go boxes only. In addition, Manna Café will add a Wednesday and Thursday evening hot meal at the Refuge Center (503 D. Street, in the Manna Village). COVID has increased the need for support for Manna, and they offer many ways for you and your family to be a part of their ministry. Manna Cafe’s mission is only made possible by the tireless work of hundreds of volunteers. They are always looking for more people to join their volunteer team. Some of the most pressing needs for November call for regular, consistent help (even one day per week). Those areas include drivers, office help, warehouse help, kitchen/ cooking help, caseworkers, handymen, and groundskeeper/ landscapers. If you are unable to volunteer but want to support Manna Cafe’s efforts, they have many ways you can donate:

• $35 per month will provide a 60-pound box of food to a local individual or family.

• For $300, you can sponsor a Tuesday or Thursday night meal, providing approximately 150 hot plates of food.

• Just $100 per month will provide 50 people with a hot, nutritious meal.

• $55 will provide a motel room for one night for an individual or family during inclement weather; $275 will pay for a full week.

The Well is a multi-faceted, Christ-centered ministry dedicated to serving, assisting, teaching, and building community with individuals in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Well is intended to be a place of reconciliation and hope, renewal and empowerment, acceptance and encouragement, compassion and prayer.

Every Sunday, they offer a time of prayer, song, and devotion for peace to the downtown community. Hot meals are served on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5:15, and plans for the Thanksgiving meal have not yet been decided upon.

Their food pantry is open by appointment, and the clothes closet is open on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 11-12:30. If you have clothing or food pantry donations, you may drop your donations at the Church of Christ at Trenton Crossing during business hours. 9:00 am - 3:00 PM M-F If you or your family are interested in volunteering your time or making monetary donations to the ministry of the Well, please 931-802-2889 for more information.

Loaves and Fishes feeds the hungry of Montgomery County six days a week and distributes food to area agencies through volunteer efforts. Loaves and Fishes serves approximately 45,000 – 50,000 meals yearly on site. Loaves and Fishes also has a Food Distribution Center that distributes thousands of pounds of food to approximately 30 other churches and agencies helping the needy in the community. Loaves and Fishes’ “Soup Kitchen” serves meals between 10:30AM and 12:00PM, Monday through Saturday.

Donations are taken 8am to noon Monday-Saturday at the 215 Foster St. location. Plans for their Thanksgiving meal have not yet been finalized, but more information will be shared via their website and Facebook page soon. If your family would like to volunteer or donate to Loaves and Fishes, you may do so in three ways. You can help by donating money (cash, check, online or via endowment). You can help by donating food that is used on a daily basis:

• non-perishable canned goods (#10 cans)

• margarine

• ground beef, meat

• coffee, sugar, creamer

• pasta, tuna, condiments

• commercial-size coffee filters •

serving gloves

• hand sanitizer

• paper products (cups, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper)

• 55 gallon garbage bags

You can help by donating your time, in one of these helpful ways to serve:

• Serving of food & drink

• Clean-up

• Holiday program

• Administrative help

• Phone monitor

• Warehouse

• Food distribution to other agencies

• Food drivers (for food pick-up)

• Greeters

• Supervisors

• Meal preparation

• Meal set-up

These three ministries are fueled by devoted volunteers and donations that keep their helpful services going. 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us, in many ways. As we enter the time of year where we should stop and be grateful, let’s consider sharing that thankfulness with others in our community. Let’s do what we can to show kindness and help one another so that everyone can be thankful this season!

To learn more, please visit:

Manna Cafe: 605 Providence Blvd. 931-933-0970 www.mannacafeministries.com

The Well: 224 Union St. 931-802-2889, www.trentoncrossingchurch.com/the-well

Loaves and Fishes: 215 Foster St. 931-645-9020, loavesandfishestn.org