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about > charities

News Sentinel Charities, Inc.

The News Sentinel Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit - 501(c)3 - organization that was established in 1975 to manage and govern the Empty Stocking Fund and the Milk Fund.

News Sentinel staff that serve on the News Sentinel Charities board manages both programs.

Empty Stocking Fund

Mission
History
Donate
Distribution Location
Volunteer
Apply for Assistance
Free Flu Shot Saturday
Contact Information

Milk Fund

Mission
History
Donate
Apply for Assistance
Contact Information

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News Sentinel Charities, Inc. Board of Directors

President
Foster D. Arnett, Jr.
Pure Air & Water Technologies of Tennessee, President

Vice President
Ernie Roberts
Bearden High School, Math Teacher

Treasurer
Paul Abraham
News Sentinel, Vice President of Finance

Secretary
Glenda Jones
News Sentinel, Circulation Administrative Manager

Directors

Jerilyn Bliss
Scripps Networks, Vice Present of Communications

John Britton
Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C., Attorney & Shareholder

Rosemary Gilliam
Merrill Lynch, Vice President

Henrietta Grant
KUB Retiree & Former High School Principal

Bruce Hartmann
News Sentinel, President and Publisher

Ann Hansen
H&R Technical Associates, Board Chair and CEO

Richard Hollow
Hollow & Hollow, LLC., member of the law firm

Barbara Kelly
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Executive Director

Bonnie Krabbenhoft
Scripps Networks, Credit Manager

Katharine Seaton
News Sentinel, Community Relations Manager

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Mission

The mission of the News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund (ESF) is to provide food and toys to disadvantaged East Tennesseans during the holidays.

We fed 3,500 families, about 8,000 people, and supplied toys to more than 2,300 children in 2007. Each family received a food basket with 70 pounds of food. The baskets contained a turkey, fresh produce, canned goods and much more.

History

By the late Jacquelyn Brown, former News Sentinel Community Services Manager
11/23/1997

When the late Raleigh Harrison, a Knoxville lawyer, and a group of Knoxville citizens proposed a project to feed needy families at Christmas back in 1912, they couldn't have known that their big idea would still be going strong nearly a hundred years later.

They only wanted to bring Christmas cheer and happiness to those less fortunate than themselves, and they sought the help of the Knoxville Sentinel in their campaign for funds.

They named their fund-raising effort the Empty Stocking Fund because their goal was to provide for those whose Christmas stockings would otherwise be empty.

Their first goal was to feed the hungry. While the need exists year-round, it seems particularly cruel for people, especially families with growing children, to go to sleep on empty stomachs when there are signs of merriment, prosperity and plenty all about.

Those early baskets contained a rump roast, some pork and beans, vegetables, fruit and candy. Later, toys that had been repaired were added. In time, the rump roast was replaced by a 3-pound chicken, and more canned goods, produce and staples went into the basket.

Empty Stocking Fund recipients now receive a 12-pound turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing mix, and enough staples -- 45 items in all -- to provide for Christmas dinner as well as other meals during the holiday season.

Children ages 16 and younger in the household receive two new toys.

The Empty Stocking Fund has undergone many changes as it has evolved over the years, including not only the content of the basket, and the variety of toys for the kids, but even the baskets themselves.

The first receptacles were simple market baskets. Later, bushel baskets were used. In 1979, Jefferson Smurfit, a local company formerly known as Container Corp., began contributing boxes that replaced the baskets altogether.

While the content of groceries and toys may have changed, many elements that go into the Empty Stocking fund have remained the same.

The applications of prospective recipients have always been routinely checked to be sure of their eligibility and to eliminate duplication of effort with other charitable organizations.

The people who apply and their reasons for seeking assistance are basically the same. They exist on very low incomes, usually the result of job layoffs, disability, chronic diseases, or desertion -- or a combination of factors.

The people who volunteer to help with basket distribution, and those who give generously year after year, are motivated to give by the stories we share during our annual campaign.

Donate

We are still accepting donations to the Empty Stocking Fund. Contributions can be made online below or by check to the following address. Please make checks payable to ESF .

News Sentinel ESF
P.O. Box 59038
Knoxville, TN 37950-9038

Donate now

$20 | $25 | $50 | $100 | $150 | $200 | $250 | $500 | $1,000

Distribution Location

For the fifth year, the Knoxville Expo Center donated the use of their facility for Empty Stocking Fund distribution. The Knoxville Expo Center, owned by the Graham Corporation, is located at the corner of Merchants Drive and Clinton Highway.

Volunteer

It takes hundreds of volunteers to prepare the food baskets and toys for distribution.

Individuals and groups who would like to help with the creation or distribution of food baskets are welcomed. The dates and times volunteers are needed will be posted on this site in the fall of 2008.

Thank you for your interest in the News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund. You make it possible!

Apply

Applications for assistance in 2008 will be accepted in late November. Those interested in applying should call the Community Action Committee (CAC) Christmas Clearing House line at (865) 524-2521 beginning in October 2008. This line will be updated with current information in the fall of 2008.

Thank you for your interest in the News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund!

Free Flu Shot Saturday

Free Flu Shot Saturday (FFSS) is the biggest annual fundraiser for the Empty Stocking Fund. For the past 14 years, free influenza immunizations have been offered on one Saturday in the fall in and around Knoxville to anyone who is interested. More than 187,000 East Tennesseans have been immunized and over $800,000 has been raised for ESF since the program’s inception in 1994. Donations are accepted from those receiving shots, but they are not required. The program also relies heavily on corporate and foundation donations to purchase the medical supplies and serum. The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation has donated thousands to the cause and has been the primary donor for the program for some years.

The event is organized and staffed by medical volunteers under Dr. Charlie Barnett’s direction, several local Rotary clubs and News Sentinel Charities staff. In addition to fundraising for ESF, the goal of FFSS is to limit the impact of influenza in East Tennessee by vaccinating thousands.

2007 Free Flu Shot Saturday:

Thank you for making the 2007 Free Flu Shot Saturday a success. We vaccinated over 7,600 people and raised $44,000 for the News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund (ESF). We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to help improve the health of the community while supporting ESF. We are especially grateful for the many donors, medical volunteers and Rotarians who ensure the success of this program year after year.

For more information about ESF or FFSS, you may contact:

Katharine Seaton
Community Relations Manager
Knoxville News Sentinel
Tel: (865) 342-6870
Fax: (865) 342-6898
Email: seatonk@knews.com

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The Milk Fund

Mission

The Milk Fund, also part of the News Sentinel Charities, assists with nutritional and medical needs of small children, elderly and ill individuals.

History

By the late Jacquelyn Brown, former News Sentinel Community Services Manager
11/23/1997

While the News Sentinel Charities began with compassion for needy families during the holiday season, committee members soon recognized the year-round needs of undernourished children and began to provide milk and cod liver oil to underprivileged children with money that was leftover from the basket distribution.

Funds for milk and other dairy products went to the Knox County PTA, the welfare department and well-baby clinics as well as to the Kiwanis Fresh Air Camp.

The organization now works to meet the needs of the Knoxville community and surrounding counties in the News Sentinel's circulation area.

The Milk Fund began in 1938 as an annual fund-raising campaign to help meet children's year-round nutritional needs for dairy products.

In addition to serving children, the Milk Fund also serves people whose physicians verify their need for dairy products or special nutritional supplements because of chronic illness, frailty, or long-term medications that must be accompanied by dairy products.

They must also meet proscribed requirements for financial need.

Donate

We are still accepting donations to the Milk Fund. Contributions can be made online below or by check to the following address. Please make checks payable to ESF.

News Sentinel Milk Fund
P.O. Box 59038
Knoxville, TN 37950-9038

Donate now

$20 | $25 | $50 | $100 | $150 | $200 | $250 | $500 | $1,000

Apply

Those interested in applying for assistance from the Milk Fund should call the Community Action Committee (CAC) at (865) 546-3500.

Thank you for your interest in the News Sentinel Milk Fund!

For more information, you may contact:

Katharine Seaton
Community Relations Manager
Knoxville News Sentinel
Tel: (865) 342-6870
Fax: (865) 342-6898
Email: seatonk@knews.com