CLAXTON, Tenn. (WATE) — As the cost of living in East Tennessee continues to increase, one church in Anderson County is helping families with one of the most essential items.
Sunday, The Church of God of the Union Assembly of Claxton held their Greater Good Grocery Giveaway. They handed out 75 boxes of grocery essentials to feed families for two to three months.
‘Ride to Remember’ to East TN Veteran State Veterans cemetery honors vets lost to suicide “Rent goes up, water is going up, light bill’s going up, things like that, and what do you do? I don’t see how people live anymore,” said an Anderson County resident Tammie Hatcher.
Hatcher said if it wasn’t for the grocery giveaway she isn’t sure how she would afford food.
“I don’t have to go out here and try to find someone to sell whatever I’ve got in my house to buy food,” said Hatcher.
This is one of the reasons why senior pastor Brandon Cookston started this food drive.
“What we want to do is we want to help,” said Cookston.
After seeing the need in his community, Cookston wanted to do something that would make a difference.
“The way that we can help, the research that we’ve done, where we can pour the best impact in our community is through food,” he said. “Very poor, very rural people that we’re looking at in the community, and that’s the way that we can do that.”
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“I remember what it’s like to be on the receiving end when you couldn’t do something for yourself and you needed that extra hand to get you up,” said volunteer and church minister Rance Cagle. “So, I remember that, and I want to be that hand to someone else.”
As someone who receives the food, Hatcher said she is grateful.
▶ See more top stories on WATE.com “For someone to really care enough to serve other people in the community, it’s a godsend.” she said. “It helps me, it helps everybody else, and it just blesses everyone.”
Cookson said they hope to continue helping those in need and continue the tradition on a monthly basis. For now, their next drive will be November 23.
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