Seniors across the Upper Cumberland received food to make hot meals this holiday season thanks to generous canned food donations and contributions from multiple community organizations.
Each December, the Area Agency on Aging and Disability, a division of the Upper Cumberland Development District, coordinates a canned food drive for seniors in need across the Upper Cumberland. Holiday food bags are created from the canned food donations and contain ingredients for seniors to prepare a hot holiday meal. The bags are distributed by AAAD staff to low-income, home-bound clients throughout the region.
This year, AAAD staff teamed up with the Sunset and Noon Rotary Clubs of Cookeville, First Volunteer Bank, F&M Bank, Citizens Bank, Middle Tennessee Curb, and Pioneer Credit Company branches of Cookeville and Smithville to collect canned food donations for the holiday food bags. Through canned food donations and $1,350 in contributions, AAAD staff were able to assemble and distribute 250 holiday food bags to seniors in need. Each senior received a bag containing canned ham, corn, green beans, yams, fried apples, and a stuffing mix or rolls.
