Food For The Hungry 2024

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY – 2024

Food for the Hungry is the annual collection of food and funds to benefit Interchurch Social Services, The Salvation Army, and other food assistance organizations of Knox County. The calendar is full of events and special collections planned to support the annual drive. Donations help stock pantry shelves and give financial assistance to support Knox County's citizens in need.

For more information, log on to www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.

Food For The Hungry - Working together to care for our neighbors.

Join WNZR at the 43rd annual Food for the Hungry drive, Friday, December 13.
We will bring you live updates all day from 9am to 4pm. Join us as we share updates on the total and all activities. We will also be talking with the amazing volunteers of this project.

Top Ten Food Items Needed

Soup (pop-top cans or packages)
Jelly
Canned Meals (ravioli, spaghettios, chicken & dumplings)
Breakfast foods (cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix).
Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Pasta/Egg noodles
Side Dishes (Boxed or Packaged)
Peanut Butter
Pasta Sauce

Food For The Hungry Kicked off on Nov 1st. This year’s goal is $330,000.

The Knox County Food Council estimates that there are 14,400 people struggling to have enough food in Knox County. The 2024 goal was set with this growing number of people in mind.
The goal includes:

Supporting Interchurch Social Services and The Salvation Army
Winter Grants for food pantries and hot meals
Summer Grants that prioritize students who rely on free school meals during the school year.

Your help is needed for Food For The Hungry to reach its goal!

Get involved by attending events, donating, volunteering, or even hosting your own event or collection for FFTH! Find all the info you need at www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.
This is a Knox County tradition you won’t want to miss.

2024 Food For The Hungry Winter Grant Recipients

Food For The Hungry has announced its Winter Grant Recipients. The grants awarded totaled $35,500 and went to 16 different organizations that provided food for people in need. These grants were made possible with funds set aside from the 2023 FFTH Drive. For a full list of the Grant Recipients, visit FoodForTheHungryCares.org and Click on the “Who We Help” Tab, and then click “Grant Recipients.” Grant Recipients will also be featured on Food For The Hungry Live - broadcast on Friday, December 13th from the Memorial Theater at the Knox Memorial.

Here are some of the upcoming events:

All proceeds from these events benefit the Knox County Food For The Hungry drive!

Mount Vernon’s Country Club Rehabilitation Campus is holding “Double the Donation” Collection.

The Country Club Rehabilitation Campus of Mount Vernon is now collecting food donations for its Double the Donation Food For The Hungry collection. They will be matching the number of donated cans/food items collected from now until Drive Day, December 13th. Donations can be taken to the main building at 1350 Yauger Rd., Mount Vernon OH 43050, from 8:30AM-5PM. If you have questions, contact Chris Turner at (740) 263-0420.

Food For The Hungry Service Club Competition

Local service clubs across Knox County are invited to participate in the annual Friendly Competition for the 43rd Food For The Hungry campaign, aiming to raise $330,000 to support families in need during the holidays and throughout the year.

The campaign offers a unique opportunity for clubs to multiply their impact — every dollar donated equals $4.56 in food purchasing power. Clubs can begin collecting donations immediately. The collection period runs through December 9, 2024.

Deliver your donations in an envelope clearly marked with your organization’s name and indicating that the funds are for Food For The Hungry to WRP CPAs, located at 1684 Venture Drive, Suite B, Mount Vernon.

All participating clubs will be recognized during the Food For The Hungry LIVE event, broadcast on December 13, 2024. The club that raises the most funds will have the opportunity to send a representative to be featured on the live broadcast at the Memorial Building.

Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County Food For The Hungry Collection.

The Libraries of Knox County will be collection points for food donations November 4 – December 13.
This includes:

Danville Public Library
Fredericktown Community Library
Gambier Community Library
And the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County.

The libraries will be collecting non-perishable food items, monetary donations for FFTH, and care items/food for dogs and cats for the Humane Society.

A new addition to the FFTH Library Drive is a special giveaway. Patrons that bring in three items to donate per visit will get a ticket for a Gift Card Give-Away. Tickets will be accepted until Noon on December 13th. Patrons can enter the giveaway each time they bring three donation items to their Knox County Library. The more a person donates, the more chances the patron has to win a gift card!

CES Credit Union Stuffing Drive

CES Credit Union is collecting boxes of stuffing mix at each credit union location from now until December 6, 2024. Boxes collected at the two Mount Vernon locations will support Food For The Hungry and be distributed through Interchurch of Knox County. Cash donations are also welcome. (Donations made at locations outside of Knox County will be distributed to food pantries in that community.) The goal for Knox County is to have 200 boxes! Hours are 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. CES branches are at 400 West Chestnut St. and 1215 Yauger Rd., Mount Vernon, OH

KCCC ONLINE Basket Auction
Knox County Career Center is hosting its annual basket auction in support of Food For The Hungry! This online silent auction features 15 themed gift baskets and 5 individual items/collections with a combined value of over $8,000! The auction is open from December 1-13 at 3 pm. Gift baskets are created through community donations and efforts from Knox County Career Center students, teachers, and staff. Each basket is filled with goodies and would make a perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffers. To find a basket and place a bid, go to www.32auctions.com/kcccffth2024. Please note that an account must be created in order to bid in this auction. Creating an account is not an obligation to bid, nor will it automatically bid for you. Bidding closes on Friday, December 13, at 3 pm, so make sure to act fast!

KAT’s Boxes on the Buses

Knox Area Transit will have boxes on each bus to collect non-perishable food items for Food For The Hungry. The collection is from December 3rd - 13th.

MVNU’s Men’s Basketball Game to Support Food For The Hungry

Food For The Hungry will be featured and supported at the MVNU Men’s Basketball Game on Wednesday, December 4, at 7 PM. There will be a table at the entrance to the game featuring Food For The Hungry and accepting non-perishable food items and monetary donations. At halftime of the Men's Game, MVNU Athletics will do Free Throws for Food For The Hungry. The Athletic Department will give $1 for every free throw made.

FFTH Collection Points on Dec. 13th.
Non-perishable and monetary donations can be made at the FFTH Collection Points throughout Knox County on Drive Day from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. Mount Vernon Collection Points include Kroger, Walmart, Aldi, Lowes, Bakers IGA, Lannings, and The Knox Memorial (Open until 4 P.M.). The Gambier point is The Village Market.

Food For The Hungry LIVE
Food For The Hungry LIVE is almost here! The Live Broadcast begins on Friday, Dec. 13 at
9 A.M. and continues until 4 P.M.

FFTH Live will be available on 100.9 FM and 93.7 HD2 - WMVO, with video stream at www.mvnu.tv and the FFTH Facebook page. Updates will be given throughout the day on 90.9 WNZR, 93.7 The Super Q, and FFTH social media. FFTH Live will air from the Memorial Theater in Knox Memorial on East High Street in Mount Vernon.

This year’s Broadcast, as always, is a celebration of giving. The Broadcast highlights many community members and organizations presenting their contributions to the Drive. The FFTH Winter Grants recipients will be featured throughout the day. FFTH and Psi Iota Xi will also recognize several Knox County school and student collection winners.

Kenyon Snowflake Gala.

On Friday, December 13, Kenyon College will host the 14th Annual Snowflake Gala in support of Knox County Food For The Hungry.

The Gala will be held at the Lowry Center, 221 Duff St, Gambier, OH 43022, in the Multi-Activity Court, which will be transformed for the occasion.

The Gala will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:00 PM, dinner at 7:00 PM, dancing, and the Fund-a-Cause auction to follow.

Tickets for the 2024 Snowflake Gala are priced at $100 per person. Individuals or companies can sponsor a table of eight people for $1,000. All sponsors will be recognized in the program for the Gala.

Tickets and Sponsor Tables may be reserved by calling Kenyon at (740) 427-5117. or by visitingwww.FoodForTheHungryCares.org, which offers online payment options. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, December 6.

All net proceeds from Gala tickets and donations from the Fund-a-Cause auction benefit families and individuals in need in Knox County!

Knox County Park District’s Fire and Ice

The Knox County Park District’s Fire and Ice event is returning to Knox County and you are invited! Join us on December 14, 2024, between 5:30-8:30 p.m. for a luminary adventure spectacular at Honey Run Waterfall! This event is to support Food for the Hungry of Knox County, so shelf-stable food donations and/or monetary contributions are welcomed and encouraged. Park your vehicle at the Millwood Church of Christ located at 10900 Millersburg Road, Howard, Ohio. Here you may donate, if desired, to Food for the Hungry, then board a free Knox Area Transit shuttle that will take you to the Honey Run Waterfall. Beautiful luminaries will line the walkway to and around the waterfall area, providing a holiday ambiance for all to enjoy.

For more information, follow FFTH on social media or log on to www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.
Food For The Hungry celebrating 43 years of working together to care for our neighbors.

Watch the Food For The Hungry LIVE Broadcast on www.mvnu.tv