News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County Democrats and NAACP collect through Friday for Helping Hands Annual Juneteenth Food Drive.
NAACP Legal Redress Chair Anne Austin said the Juneteenth Food Drive had been going on for at least three years. Austin said that while they commemorate the Proclamation that finally freed the slaves two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, they try and help the community’s most needy.
“In speaking to the Director from Helping Hands that was one of the things we were specifically asked to try to collect for is the growing homeless population,” Austin said. “And there are children out there too. It’s not just adults. There are children out there too who are homeless. And we want to make sure nobody goes hungry at the very least.”
Austin said assistance is not limited to the homeless. She said diapers and baby wipes for instance are very expensive and a lot of families need help with that.
Austin said canned meals with pull tabs are helpful for the homeless who may not have access to a kitchen or utensils, and also for children who may have to fend for themselves at mealtime.
“I’ve heard particularly in the summertime if you don’t have a way to heat food up, if you leave a can sitting out on some pavement for an hour it will heat up and you can have a hot meal,” Austin said.
Austin said they need hygiene products but keep in mind that they do not break up a multi-packs of toothbrushes and such, so if you donate a pack of 8, they are given to a single recipient or family.
Laundry detergent is an exception to the division rule.
“They take the powder detergent and then they can divide that up into baggies and serve a larger number of people by dividing it,” Austin said.
Austin said collections continue through Friday June 16 from noon until 6pm at 111 North Cedar Avenue, Cookeville.
