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4-H Hooked on Helping Hunger Tuna Drive

4-H Hooked on Helping Hunger Tuna Drive a Success

The boats are docked. The nets are drawn. 2015 has been another outstanding fishing trip for Sevier County 4-H Members. For the past 14 years, Sevier County 4-H members have set sail on a Fall Fishing excursion that benefits the Sevier County Food Ministries and CROSS Ministry in Seymour. This year’s tuna drive totals netted a donation of over 2,200 cans of tuna and $1,000 for these local Food Ministries. Beginning in 2012, 4-H decided to send the Seymour 4-H Clubs donations to CROSS Ministry to meet needs in the Seymour Community.

Sevier County 4-H Tuna Drive

Photo: Sevier County 4-H Members pictured with Jim Davis, Director Sevier County Food Ministries, with the initial tally for the 2015 4-H Hooked on Helping Hunger Tuna Drive. Since this annual project began in 2001, 4-H members have donated over 48,500 cans of tuna and over $19,500 to the Sevier County Food Ministry.

This annual service project known as “4-H Hooked on Helping Hunger” began in 2001 as an opportunity for 4-H members to learn about local needs and then take action. It’s held each year in conjunction with the countywide 4-H Officer Training Workshop.

“In 2001 we approached the Sevier County Food Ministries director at that time, Steve Streibig, inquiring about specific items of need, and he suggested cans of tuna,” said Glenn K Turner, Sevier County 4-H agent. It is a somewhat specialty item that can be expensive for the ministry to purchase but, yet is a good protein source. Those served by the food ministry see tuna as a special treat.

The goal of the tuna drive each year is one can per 4-H member with the slogan “One Can, Can Make a Difference.” With over 3,500 4-H members one can does make a difference. Each year that goal is surpassed.

“When the project began in 2001, 50 cents would easily buy a can of tuna, of course now it’s up closer to one dollar. When promoting the project we encourage 4-H’ers to consider giving up a soft drink or snack and put that money toward a few cans of tuna,” Turner said.

This approach seems to have worked over the years. Since the project began in 2001, 48,500 cans of tuna and over $19,500 have been donated to the Sevier County Food Ministries. “That’s one Big Fish,” Turner says.

Jim Davis, director of the Sevier County Food Ministries says, “Sevier County 4-H has become a faithful partner to the Food Ministry. When 4-H began the tuna project thirteen years ago, we were serving about 800 families each week. Today that number has grown to 1600 per week. It is nice to know we can count on this donation each fall. It enables us to plan for our weekly food distribution. We are thankful for the monetary donation as well, as that will allow us to purchase food at 20 cents a can from Second Harvest.”

4-H members have learned to put into practice the 4-H pledge by using their “Hands for larger service.” They are learning that they can make a difference in the community. If you are not aware of the great things going on at the Sevier County Food Ministries, 4-H members invite you to visit Mr. Davis and see how you could be involved. Mr. Davis can be contacted at 865-428-5182. Sevier County Food Ministries is located at 890 Old Knoxville Highway in Sevierville, next to the fairgrounds.

About UT Extension - Sevier County

UT Extension provides a gateway to the University of Tennessee as the outreach unit of the Institute of Agriculture. It is a statewide educational organization, funded by federal, state and local governments, that brings research-based information about agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and resource development to the people of Tennessee where they live and work. Sevier News Messenger distributes UT Extension news as a courtesy. UT Extension - Sevier County can be found at https://extension.tennessee.edu/Sevier