🥫 Holiday Food Drive Aims to Feed 600+ Local Children During School Break

As the holiday break approaches, a child-focused nonprofit food pantry is launching a community-wide collection effort to ensure that hundreds of students in Cumberland and Fentress Counties don’t face empty plates when school closes. The drive reflects a growing need in the region during extended breaks when many families lose access to school meal programs.

📍 The Need: Over 600 Children at Risk

Unified Tables Food Pantry estimates that more than 600 children in Cumberland County will face at least one missed meal per day during the 2026 holiday break. ❤️ The nonprofit collects nonperishable food items and monetary donations year-round to bridge this gap, focusing specifically on kid-friendly, shelf-stable foods that students can prepare and enjoy at home.

🛒 How to Help: Collection Periods and Drop-Off Locations

The food drive runs during two collection windows: November 7-20 and November 20-December 12. Community members can drop off donations at five convenient locations across the area:

• Acute Care Clinic – 131 S. Webb Ave.
• Weichert Realtors – The Webb Agency – 3602 Peavine Rd. & 874 West Ave.
• The Center at Fairfield Glade – 128 Stonehenge Dr.
• Cumberland County Playhouse – 221 Tennessee Ave.
• Quality Home Health – 131 S. Webb Ave., #102

💡 What to Donate: Kid-Friendly Staples

Unified Tables prioritizes shelf-stable, easy-to-prepare foods that appeal to children. Suggested items include breakfast cereals, oatmeal, Pop-Tarts, and low-sugar options; entrées like ramen noodles, Chef Boyardee, SpaghettiOs, canned chili, soups, beans, rice, and pasta; proteins such as peanut butter, jelly, Vienna sausages, and canned tuna or chicken; snacks including crackers, pudding cups, applesauce pouches, fruit cups, small chip bags, granola bars, and Nutri-Grain bars; and drinks like juice boxes and 100% juice. 🍽️

✨ Why This Matters

Food insecurity among school-age children peaks during extended breaks when the safety net of school breakfast and lunch programs disappears. By adding a few extra items to your shopping cart, donors directly help ensure that local children have access to nutritious meals when they need them most. Every donation-whether a single box of cereal or a case of canned goods-makes a tangible difference in a child’s holiday experience.