Raising money for nutrition program

Celebration Church, on Chapman Highway in Seymour, is raising money this year for Mobile Meals, a senior nutrition program that serves Blount County’s elderly residents who remain in their homes. Every year, Celebration’s Lutheran Women’s Missionary League adopts a community project to support through fundraisers and matching gifts from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans agency. Last year’s project was House of Courage, a home for young single mothers being developed in south Knoxville. Monty Arnold, Mobile Meals program director, was at the church Feb. 13 to talk about how the need is growing. She is over budget in the number of seniors being served this year, she said, making the private donations she receives in addition to state and federal grants even that much more critical. Every meal costs $2.70 daily to provide; Mobile Meals currently serves 129 seniors. She explained that most of these seniors have no family or are disconnected from them, making their lives lonely and independent living risky to their health. But many have limited incomes, and their options are few. Mobile Meals volunteers stop in these homes at noon to deliver a hot meal five days a week. For more information about Mobile Meals, you can call Monty Arnold at (865) 983-8411. Anyone interested in making a donation to the nutrition program may send it to Mobile Meals, 3509 Tuckaleechee Pike, Maryville, TN 37803.