Hospitality Pantries - Working with Communities to End Hunger

Hospitality Pantries, Inc., a non-profit organization, currently provides food packages to over 6,000 families each month from our four Knoxville locations based where they are accessible to people most in need. In addition, more than 2,000 families receive food bags each month from associate locations in Knox County and Claiborne County, TN. We assist people in other cities and counties planning a response to hunger in their communities.

Hospitality Pantries organizes at the "grassroots." Pantry leaders from the struggling community surrounding each pantry are joined in this work by people from the wider community. Hospitality Pantries is a coalition of people from diverse backgrounds and religious traditions who have come together around shared values to work on hunger and poverty issues. Their combined perspectives and shared values of hospitality create a powerful presence within a community.

Hospitality Pantries emphasize human dignity and human rights. A poster within the following quote hangs in each Hospitality Pantry: "We at Hospitality Pantries care about responding with respect to people asking for food rather than being concerned with who is deserving. Being compassionate to people frees them. To free others is to free ourselves." 

Hospitality Pantries are about relationship and people working together toward a more compassionate and just community for all its people. We want to help overcome the root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

Individuals, churches, and other organizations provide food and donations to purchase food.

The three aims and purposes of a Hospitality Pantry are:

1. To prevent hunger and assure adequate nutrition. The earth's bounty is meant to be shared with and celebrated by everyone in the community.

2. To be a hospitable, non-judgmental presence in the community that respects human dignity and privacy. We welcome all who come for food as guests. The hungry themselves determine how often they need food assistance.

3. To be a place in the community where people from different denominations, races, heritages, and economic circumstances work together to create true community based upon compassion and justice for all people. People of different backgrounds are transformed by being in relationship with one another. A model of community is being created that allows people to grow, learn, and enjoy the most about one another rather than constantly fearing differences. In relationship we can do more to help overcome the root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

Every person can contribute to the campaign to renew and strengthen our community. We need the insights, gifts, and talents of many people to build true community.

EAST: 600 S. Chestnut St. (St. Luke's Episcopal Church) 522-3474  Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 AM - 3 PM

NORTH: Corner 17th St. & Highland Ave. (Ft. Sanders Baptist Church) 522-1313, Tues., Thurs., Sat. 10 AM - 1 PM

SOUTH: 115 Ogle St. (Vestal Methodist Church) 577-9600, Mon. 10 AM - 2 PM Wed. & Fri. 10 AM - 4 PM

WEST: 800 Northshore Dr. (Episcopal Church of the Ascension) 588-0589, 3rd & 4th Thurs. each month 9 AM - 5 PM

© 2002 - Episcopal Church of the Ascension