FEDERALLY EMPLOYED WOMEN
SPONSOR ‘FOOD FOR KIDS’ DRIVE
Second Harvest Food Bank Receives
5K Pounds of Food from Employees

Oak Ridge, Tenn. – The Oak Ridge Chapter of the Federally Employed Women (FEW) recently sponsored a “Food for Kids” drive resulting in 5,000 pounds of food and cash contributions totaling approximately $1,200, being collected and donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Knoxville. 

The “Food for Kids” drive began in October at the Department of Energy offices in Oak Ridge, with food kits and backpacks donated by Oak Ridge employees on a weekly basis until November 19.  The food kits and backpacks were assembled and provided to Second Harvest.  They will then disperse the kits to schools in local counties that qualify for the backpack program.  “Food for Kids” is a collaborative effort between Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and area schools.

“We really tried to think ‘out of the box’ on this one and come up with something that would promote the spirit of working together, while at the same time helping our most precious assets, children,” said Beverly Schultz, FEW Oak Ridge Chapter President.  “The overwhelming response received from our federal and contractor employees from the onset of this campaign was incredible.  It was certainly a group effort and everyone that played a part is to be commended.”  This local drive was led by FEW Vice President Teresa Fritz-Powers and FEW President, Beverly Schultz, both from the Oak Ridge Chapter.

The “Food for Kids” strategy is simple.  Second Harvest provides each participating school with a supply of new backpacks, along with nutritious, non-perishable foods that could easily be prepared by the child and would not necessarily require the help of an adult.  Participating students receive a backpack full of food for themselves and, if needed, their younger siblings on a regularly scheduled basis.

DOE Oak Ridge Office (ORO) Manager Gerald Boyd said, “The generosity of Oak Ridge employees certainly comes as no surprise to me.  This is just one of many initiatives that our employees undertake each year in an effort to support our local communities.”