Knox County Parks and Recreation delivered nearly 2500 pounds of canned and boxed food items, and $234 to the Love Kitchen, 2418 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, on Thursday morning, January 8. Doug Bataille, Senior Director, made the presentation of contributions gathered at the County’s Holiday Festival of Lights, to Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner, founders of the community ministry.
“Our event is free to the community, but our visitors are always generous in bringing food items to show their appreciation,” said Bataille. The Holiday Festival of Lights concluded its 11th year of providing horse drawn wagon rides and nights for walking through the lighted displays at The Cove at Concord Park. Sponsors underwrite the cost of the event so that it can be offered free to the public. This year, the event was made possible by Pimento’s and Lenoir City Utilities Board. Media sponsors included WVLT-TV, B97.5, The Knoxville News Sentinel and Comcast.
“We are proud to be able to make this donation to the Love Kitchen, especially now in these rough economic times. This is just one way we can help in their efforts to provide for our neighbors,” added Bataille.
The Love Kitchen provides meals, clothing and emergency food packages to homebound, homeless and unemployed persons. They work with local agencies to offer meals, secure used clothing, and donate services in the hope of promoting self-sufficiency. The ultimate goal is to provide nourishment for anyone who is hungry and to establish a community center to serve as a safe haven supporting area children and their families.
