NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Social Services and Scarritt Bennett Center have teamed up to give families facing food insecurity a Sunday dinner experience every third Sunday of the month. The dinner begins today, August 16th.
Sunday Dinner differs from MSS's typical pop-up food giveaways. This event is meant to serve families and build connection.
"We wanted to be able to connect better with those who come to us for help," said Harriet Wallace with Metro Social Services.
"We're gonna tend to them, look over them, they're gonna have time to just relax and enjoy something a little luxurious that they don't often get the pleasure of experiencing."
In addition to the free meal, social workers will be on site to help connect people to the resources they need beyond food assistance.
"For those who lack access to food, that's for a reason, because they are lacking income, they are facing financial barriers," said Wallace. "If one of the consequences of them facing financial barriers is lack of food, that means they need other things. So, when they come to us, they are not only going to get a hot meal, but we are gonna have all of our information on our resources we can support them with, we are gonna have staff on site to answer any questions they may need. So, hopefully they will come into our office and sit down with our case managers and we will be able to take care of all of their needs. "
Sunday Dinner will take place in Scarritt Bennett Center's Susie Gray Dining Hall at 12:30 p.m until 2 p.m. Metro Social Services is also launching Community Connect, where case managers will go into neighborhoods and try to reach people who need their resources where they are.
"Instead of folks having a need coming to our office, we are going directly into the community where the need is," said Wallace.
This will begin August 18th, at Greater St. John M.B. Church.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Megan.Scarano@NewsChannel5.com
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