In January of 2021 we made the decision to give monthly groceries to 160 families. In the past years we had given to 60 randomly selected families each month, however we felt we had enough support to take on all families on our client list. We give out a bag of groceries and fresh fruits and vegetables on the 3rd Saturday of each month Our distribution begins with donations from 2 local churches, Facebook supporters, and funds from our donors. Groceries are bagged providing an assortment of canned meats, soups, fruits, sauces and spaghetti, and cereals. Fresh vegetables are procured from a local fruit distributor. These bags are then delivered to Sr. Elaine Wicks Park in Moscow, TN for distribution to the families.
Special distributions during the year include vitamins for all children, given out twice a year.
Feminine Hygiene products are given out 4 times a year to young ladies ages 10 – 18.
Books at the child’s reading level are given out 4 times a year. The books are new and selected by our board member who is a librarian.
Personal Hygiene products (soap, shampoo, tooth brushes) are given out 3 times a year.
Holidays
Distributions for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and start of school are very special each year.
Easter – each child receives an age-appropriate Easter basket. Books, socks, and personal hygiene products are also given out.
School Supplies – Every school-aged student receives supplies requested by their school all placed in a new backpack! Socks, underwear, personal hygiene products, and a new book are also given out.
Thanksgiving – all families receive a Turkey and all the fixings for a family holiday meal. In 2021 new coats were given out for each child, infants through high school seniors. These will be given out every two years.
Christmas – Christmas begins in July with families turning in clothing sizes for all children and a Christmas wish list for each child in the family. Senior citizens were asked to give their sizes and a wish list for two items for Christmas. Lists of wishes were given to three area churches and all wishes were filled. With funds from our donors Project Outreach distributed blankets, towels, sheets, kitchen towels, and personal hygiene items to all families. Special groceries for a fine Christmas dinner were also provided.
Rossville Manor has 36 federally subsidized apartment units. In March 2021 we adopted the Manor and monthly provide groceries, veggies, and other needed items. Some of the families have been “adopted” by some of our donors and they provide their grocery needs. We are always eager to have families adopted to allow for more personal interaction.
Emergency Assistance
Emergencies arise with those in our client list, most of our folks live on the slippery slope of financial disaster. Our guidelines allow us to give up to $500 to assist with an emergency. In the last year we have assisted with rent, car repairs, and helped with the deductible on an insurance claim when our client, Marilyn, had a herd of deer run out in front of her. She was in a car she had just bought; it was totaled. We assisted her so she could get another vehicle.
College Tuition Assistance
This year we presented 4 college students with $1,000 scholarships to assist with their tuition. One student graduated in December from CBU. A former scholarship winner graduated in June 2021 and is now a police officer with the city of Moscow, TN. New scholarship applications will go out in March, we hope to have more applicants.
Birthday Cards
Every child likes to get mail, but mail on your birthday is extra special. This year all children on our list 300+ will receive a birthday card to celebrate their day. A volunteer is addressing the cards and mailing them, which adds to the special way that Project Outreach engages so many to help. Cards are also being sent to the residents of Rossville Manor, senior citizens like to get mail, too.
Looking Ahead
Home Repairs are greatly needed in southern Fayette County. While this was a goal last year, the arrival of more variances of Covid put the halt to those plans. But the team is ready to start, and we plan on Spring 2022 to be our kick off with 2 homes in great need of repair. We are also looking for ways to give our families ways to provide for themselves, family gardens and maybe Chicken Coops.
Diabetes is an area in need of attention in the communities we serve. We have identified individuals with diabetes and are working with a medical team to identify ways to provide help and guidance to those diagnosed with this disease.
Summer Programs
Maximizing the summer break for our students was a goal last year. With funds from Duval Semi Trailers we were able to provide learning packets, educational games, and books to students in grades K – 6th. This program will continue this summer with specific programs and “meet up/check up” times each week to keep kids on track for the next year of school. Students attaining goals will be rewarded for their efforts – plans to be developed but to focus on going someplace they might not get to go otherwise.
Clothing
With the pandemic, collecting of clothing became a challenge, but we hope to begin clothing collections with our donors. Clothing will then be distributed through a voucher system at a local community center.