Several Hamilton County commissioners introduced resolutions Wednesday to donate to the Harrison Ruritan Club to support its efforts to feed children.
District 5 Commissioner Katherlyn Geter, District 6 Commissioner David Sharpe, District 7 Commissioner Sabrena Smedley and District 9 Commissioner Chester Bankston each proposed donating $1,000 from their respective district's general travel discretionary funds to the Harrison Ruritan Foundation.
"This is to go in support of [feeding] the children," Geter said. "I think we have heard here recently the high need of food nutrition programs for children, so this is just to go in support of that."
The donations are in response to an August presentation to the commission that detailed the club's Snack Pack program, which packs tens of thousands of meals for Hamilton County students annually.
More Info
For more information on the Snack Pack Ministry, go to eastbrainerdchurch.org or call 423-892-1389
"We solicit your help. I would love to see every one of you sitting up here come and pack with us in September. I promise you - and the people that have been in can tell you - you will leave joyful," Director Janice Robertson said to the commission. "We also would love to have money donations. It's better for us to have money so we can buy food at a lesser price, and that's really where I guess we are right now."
The Snack Pack program, based out of the East Brainerd Church of Christ Ministry, is in its sixth year with a budget of $160,000, all of which comes from fundraising. Robertson said the program donates 2,020 bags of food to children in 24 Hamilton County schools per week.
"We've heard time and time again that 60-65% of children across Hamilton County are hungry, and this is just to help the Harrison Ruritan Club provide food to those children in need," Smedley added. "This is a great expression from those of us contributing to express how much this really touches our hearts."
Smedley said after the meeting that the commission had contributed to the club in the past, and that Bankston, an active member of the club, had coordinated with the group to ensure the money went to the intended cause.
Since the donations are from the commissioners' travel funds, funded by the county operational budget, rather than personal funds, the commission will vote on the resolutions on Sept. 18.
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at staylor@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow her on Twitter @sarahgtaylor.