Rotary Club of McKenzie Hears Urgent Call To Action in Fight Against Local Hunger

McKENZIE (July 14) — The Rotary Club of McKenzie received a sobering yet hopeful update on the state of food insecurity in the region during their meeting on July 14, as Donna Vick, donor relations manager for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, issued a direct call for community involvement.

Vick, who also serves as president of the Camden Rotary Club, told of the challenges facing Carroll County. According to the latest “Map the Meal Gap” statistics from 2023, nearly 5,000 people in the county—roughly 17.4% of the population—are food insecure. Perhaps most concerning is the impact on the county’s youth, with 1,400 children, or 22.3%, missing meals.

“Hunger doesn’t take a vacation,” Vick told the club, noting that summer is a particularly difficult season. With school-provided meals unavailable, families face increased pressure, while charitable donations often dip as the community shifts into vacation mode.

Second Harvest, which covers 46 counties across Middle and West Tennessee, has significantly expanded its footprint in the region since acquiring nine West Tennessee counties nearly two decades ago. In 2018, the organization opened the Ray Smith Family Distribution Center in Camden, which now serves as a vital hub for 14 counties, including Carroll.

Vick detailed the multifaceted approach the food bank takes to nourish the community. Beyond traditional food distribution, the organization employs a “Food Rescue” program that collects near-date items from local retailers like Walmart and Kroger, purchases fresh produce from local farmers—including Bell Farms in McKenzie—and operates a social enterprise called “Project Preserve” to manufacture shelf-stable goods.

Perhaps most notably, the organization has begun growing its own food. Vick, who manages the project, shared that the Camden facility’s four-acre “Project Grow” farm recently harvested 450 pounds of cucumbers in a single day, which were promptly distributed to families in need across the region.

Despite these efforts, Vick admitted that the organization struggles to meet the demand in Carroll County. Currently, Second Harvest works with two primary local partners: the Huntingdon Church of Christ and the Trezevant Ministerial Alliance. They have also invested in specialized programs, such as the “Food is Medicine” pilot with Hometown Health, backpack programs at local schools, and mobile markets at the McKenzie Housing Authority.

Vick’s message to the Rotarians was clear: the community is the “hope” in the fight against hunger. She challenged the club members to contribute in three specific ways:

Time — Volunteering at the Camden distribution center for “dry sort” or “cold sort” shifts.

Talent — Organizing local food drives, with the assurance that all collected items remain within the community.

Treasure — Financial support, noting that 96 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to feeding programs, with a single dollar providing four meals.

The presentation concluded on a note of partnership. Vick highlighted a new initiative funded by Centennial Bank that will provide shelf-stable food to agencies in Carroll and Chester counties throughout the year.

As the meeting adjourned, the Rotary Club of McKenzie began discussing plans to schedule volunteer shifts and support an upcoming back-to-school event, signaling a renewed commitment to serving their neighbors in need.