Catoosa resident raises $400,000 in recycling money for children’s home

Johnny Jennings empties cardboard boxes and paper out of his truck at the Chattanooga Recycling Center. Jennings has been collecting trash from neighbors, friends, his church and local businesses in Ringgold since 1985. He donates all the proceedes to Georgia Baptist Children's Home. Johnny Jennings empties cardboard boxes and paper out of his truck at the Chattanooga Recycling Center. Jennings has been collecting trash from neighbors, friends, his church and local businesses in Ringgold since 1985. He donates all the proceedes to Georgia Baptist Children's Home.

By Myron Madden December 21, 2016 3 min read

When Johnny Jennings, 85, learned he had raised $360,000 through recycling, the Ringgold resident only had one thing to say.

“I’m going to $400,000, if I can.”

He had already decided what he was going to do with the money. For decades, Jennings has been incrementally giving all he’s raised to the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home.

And in September, after 31 years of recycling paper, cardboard and aluminum cans, Jennings met his $400,000 goal.

Since then, he has not stopped collecting recyclables and saving up funds for the children’s home. In fact, he’s made an additional $3,000 since passing the $400,000 mark.