CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – With a vision to end child hunger in the community, the F.U.E.L. (Full of Emmaus Love) Ministry has been helping to feed children in Clarksville-Montgomery County schools for 21 years.

F.U.E.L. began from the heart and mind of Founder and Executive Director Denise Skidmore. Skidmore learned in 2004 that there were many hungry children in the community that were struggling to learn in school and experiencing the effects of poor health from food insecurity.

Also known as FuelKids, it is a nonprofit food subsidization program designed to feed those children whose only food source may be the food they are receiving at school. Skidmore said the program began with 11 children in one school and today serves over 3,000 young people of all ages each week in every Clarksville-Montgomery County school.

“It has gradually grown as people have become more comfortable with receiving help, with more people in need of help and our community keeps getting larger,” Skidmore said. Skidmore added that the larger our community gets, the more children are going to need help, and that’s what we’re here for.

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Skidmore said the children at the schools are chosen when they exhibit signs of hunger. It’s not based on socioeconomics. Children may simply say they don’t have any food at home, they put food in their pockets, or children who will eat everything on their plate and ask for seconds.

The program provides non-perishable nutritious food, which is collected and discreetly placed into the backpacks of children selected by the school each Friday. For high school students, a pantry is available, and they can eat the food at school or take it home for the weekend. “The highest number of homeless students are in the high schools,” Skidmore said.

Recommended items found in the F.U.E.L. bags are pre-packaged and non-perishable food such as small cereal boxes, pudding and fruit cups, meat sticks, packaged crackers, granola bars, 100% fruit juice boxes and tuna or chicken in a pouch.

F.U.E.L. in Clarksville-Montgomery County works with many local churches, organizations and businesses, and they are always looking for new partners. “We really rely on the community to step up and say we want to take care of this many kids, and you take care of those kids for your organization,” Skidmore said.

Some of the sponsoring churches and other organizations will also occasionally hold drives to collect food and monetary donations. Skidmore emphasized that 100% of the funds raised for F.U.E.L. goes to the children

To learn more about the F.U.E.L. Ministry and the FuelKids program, make a donation or volunteer, visit fuelforkidstn.org, or call 931-624-3181.

Giving Grace, sponsored by Grace Dental, is a Clarksville Now series showcasing local nonprofit organizations.

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