Mt. View Elementary School

Mt. View Elementary School (and the YMCA) does meals (breakfast and lunch) all through the summer. I was able to visit them during the last week before school started. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a more fun job. Beyond the somber theme of hunger, there's still this resounding, care-free optimism wired into most kids that's irresistible. I went from table to table and everywhere I turned there was a unique person (in a small container) looking back at me, mostly smiling, sometimes shy but always tolerant and curious and optimistic.

Good point

I hadn't thought of this myself but teachers, they know.

Tony

"This is only the second time I've been here," he said. "I don't want to come unless I absolutely have to."

St. Luke's Community House

These wheels were humming the entire time I was at St. Luke's Community House last Thursday. Between visitors, two volunteers (this day it was Jill Williams and Ted McKinney) bagged groceries, helped people to their cars, and sorted a truck load of food, all in one smooth motion. They might have taken a little break along the way, but if they did, I missed it. Visit St. Luke's blog here.

News: (8/26/08) Come the first of September, America's Second Harvest will be changing its name to Feeding America.

Jump in.

(Update: Tyson reached their limit with over four hundred comments on the following post, thanks to those who clicked through.) Leave a comment on this blog post at Tyson and they'll give a hundred pounds of food to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. It can even be a one word comment like: "Awesome."

Kennedy's doll

Mom called her Dirt Dauber, but her real name is Kennedy. The doll is Britney (that of course, could change). I made a picture of Kennedy, she made one of me. I made one of Kennedy's doll. She made one of me. We did this for about three rounds while her mom waited for a food box.

Bethesda Center in Ashland City

This is just a little annex at Bethesda where they keep furniture. The brick building next door (you can just see the edge of it), houses their food pantry and thrift store.

Patty, Sandy and Chris, part of Bethesda's dream team of volunteer/employees, on their way to lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Bethlehem Center

Here are just a few more shots from the Bethlehem Center's food pantry on Charlotte Ave. The food pantries are set up by zip code, for readers who may not know already. If someone needs food, they generally would go to the food bank in their zip code.

Those kids all go together. Aren't they great? They were so well-behaved it was scary. Of course, they weren't without supervision, but still. That's a crew.

Super Mom

Who cares?

Roy Reed checks in a long line of people at Bethlehem Center's food pantry last Thursday morning. I've noticed over the last few months how patient people are when they're waiting in such a line. There isn't the same huffing and puffing you might find in a long grocery store line.

Refrigerator Wisdom

This message is on the lunchroom refrigerator, at the Dickson Help Center.

[thrift store shopper, in training]



Joyce

A new beginning

After months of grief from the loss of her home, Joyce (on the right), finally went to the Help Center and got a voucher for household items. She went home with a set of dishes, a couple of lamps, some silverware and towels. The only thing the fire didn't claim was her car and the nightshirt she was wearing.

I have to apologize to all the guys at Bethlehem Center on Charlotte Avenue. When I said those pictures would be posted today, I was delusional. Check back around Monday, they'll be here. Meanwhile, look around. Comment. Have a nice weekend and thanks again.

EFB's, ready and waiting

I'm not sure when I last visited the Dickson Help Center. I think it was a little over a year ago. It isn't clear from this photo but they have maybe a third of what they had then. If that estimate is inaccurate, someone correct me.

Seth Doanes' backstage account of [his] CBS News story, A Family on the Edge is here.