Bledsoe County pastor Bill Wolfe says the House of Hope, a food bank program operated by Lee Station Baptist Church in Pikeville, needs donations for people in the Sequatchie Valley area who have fallen on hard times.
Wolfe said cash donations are needed to purchase food from the Chattanooga Food Bank for distribution in Bledsoe and surrounding communities. The program also needs donated clothes, furniture, appliances and other necessary housewares for needy families, Wolfe said.
"We really need the help of the community," he said.
Wolfe said demand has continued to grow, evolving from what once was an occasional call to constant daily calls from people needing help. The effort is all part of the church's mission.
"We have been in operation for a year and a half," Wolfe said on Friday.
J. D. Hankins, Billy Robeson and Marshall Daughtrey, from left, chat Wednesday during an open house at the Lee Station House of Hope in Pikeville, Tenn. The house was donated to the Lee Station Baptist Church to be used as a mission house."We serve the hungry, the elderly and children," Wolfe said. "We strive the meet needs of those less fortunate and spread the love of Christ all over the valley."
The House of Hope also offers temporary housing for those without shelter, he said.
"In December, we helped combined 2,452 people [consisting of] 1,647 families and 804 children," Wolfe said. "We help with food clothes, medicine and electric [bills] when we can."
The church-owned House of Hope is a four-bedroom brick home in Pikeville where foods and other items are stored for distribution. The 60 or so members of the church search out grocery store bargains to stock the cupboard in addition to what the food bank gets from the Chattanooga Food Bank, according to church officials.
To help, send donations by mail to Lee Station Baptist Church, 10109 Old State Highway 28, Pikeville, Tenn. 37367. Donors also can email Bill Wolfe at billwolfe64@gmail.com or call 423-667-2287.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.comor twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.