2020 Impact
It goes without saying that 2020 was a year of challenges and blessings. From the way we assisted families, to shutdowns, cancellation of fundraisers and an increase in Emergency Mobile Food Pantries throughout our county. Our operation, as a whole, has taken on many changes to continue to meet the needs of our community. We’d like to extend a special thanks to our County and City government, faith community, civic groups, businesses, individuals and the TN Cares Act for stepping in to help us keep our programs running in the height of this pandemic and uncertainty. Our phrase “together we are making a difference”’ has taken on a whole new meaning in 2020 as we also embraced the new phrase “we are in this together”. No doubt these two phrases together describe our 2020.
Our 2020 numbers look a little different than previous years because we increased the amount of Emergency Mobile Food Pantries throughout the county, often offering these 2-3 times per month, and a few times assisting as many as 350 families per event. This decrease of numbers on families calling in to receive food through our office increased the amount of food we could provide per household. We instituted a “Contactless” Assistance Program that requires those seeking aid to complete our application over the phone, plus schedule an appointment to receive food, while remaining in their vehicles, through our alley. We are taking every precaution necessary to keep our staff, volunteers and the families we serve safe during this pandemic.
In 2020, we assisted 1,918 households through our Contactless Call-In program, totaling over 4,480 individuals, with food, clothing and financial assistance, as well as many other services. Below you will see a breakdown of some of the assistance we have provided:
Ways you can impact your community through supporting DCHC
Give monthly, quarterly, yearly or periodically.
Give in Memory or Honor of someone.
Sign up to donate $1 or more monthly through your utility company
Ask your church to consider supporting us monthly as a local mission outreach.
Ask your friends, family, civic group, organization or business to support our efforts.
Host a food drive at your work, school, church, civic group or among your friends.
Call 615-441-0076 to find out more.
• Food – provided food for 1,636 families (over 3,903 individuals) over 3,460 times. Plus we deliver to approximately 80 elderly shut-ins monthly through our End of the Month Club.
• Backpack Program – $22,085 partnership with Dickson County Coordinated School Health and White Bluff Church of Christ to provide 400-500 children weekly with easy to prepare food for the weekend.
• Clothing- Provided clothes to 86 families (over 192 individuals) in need. This number does not reflect clothes provided to our school social workers, teachers and nurses for students in need.
• Utilities – $75,124
• Rent/Mortgag e– $28,789
• Medication/Medical – $3,038
• Emergency Home Repairs for the elderly – $4,675
• Disaster Assistance (fire & natural disaster) – $1,895
• Homeless Financial Assistance (motel, bus tickets, gas) – $5,190
• Gas & Automotive Help – $ 1,013
• Misc. Help (birth certificates, ids, clothes, etc.) – $4,884
• Air Conditioners, Fans & Heaters – 11
• Turkeys & Hams for the holidays – 1,077 (Topless In Tennessee Jeep Club fried 82 turkeys)
• Food For Pantry – $88,420 (cost of food we purchased for Mobile Food Pantries and to keep our shelves stocked)
• 19 Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantries that provided food for up to 250 families each giveaway.
• Christmas Partnership – Partnered with several groups, churches, businesses and individuals to help provide Christmas to 50 families with children and 20 adult seniors this holiday season.