CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Loaves and Fishes hosted its first sit-down meal in the dining room of the new facility at 825 Crossland Ave. on Monday.

Ricky Willis, executive director of Loaves and Fishes, said the organization has been anticipating this day for a long time. “It was exciting to see so many volunteers turn out to make this happen. Today has been a day of our guests learning about the facility, because it was their first day to come in. We are getting their impressions and their feedback from them,” he said.

Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)
Loaves and Fishes opened their new dining facility on Crossland Ave, for their first sit-down meal for those in need on May 17, 2021. (Lee Erwin)

To make the first day more special, musicians from Cumberland Winds performed during the lunch hour.

Loaves and Fishes began their outreach in 1983 in Clarksville, and after working with local churches including Trinity Episcopal, they settled in the First Presbyterian Church Activities and Outreach Center in 1999. Ground was broken for the new Crossland Avenue site in 2019, and the move into the new building came on March 1 of this year.

Loaves & Fishes serves a free mid-day meal six days a week, which is between 150 and 200 meals daily to those who are hungry, which adds up to around 50,000 meals each year. During the move into the new building, Loaves and Fishes offered to-go bags of food to those in need of a meal.

To learn more about the work of Loaves & Fishes, to volunteer, or make a donation visit loavesandfishestn.org, or call 931-645-9020.