Camden, Tenn.–Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee welcomed a new team member at their Ray Smith Family Distribution Center in Camden last month.
Jennifer Thornton joined the team on Monday, February 28 as the new Coordinator, Volunteer and Community Engagement.
“I’ve been involved with Second Harvest in some capacity or another for almost nine years,” Thornton said. “I was first introduced to their wonderful services in 2013 while working as the Children’s and Teen Services Librarian at the Benton County Library.”
“Back then, we served breakfast and lunch to children through the summer via the SFSP-Summer Food Service program,” said Thornton, “ultimately that expanded into a year-round feeding schedule.”
When Thornton left her position at the Benton County Library to serve as the Director of the Carroll County Library in neighboring Huntingdon, she was able to initiate and maintain a similar program there.
“I kept in contact with Donna Vick and Vivian Bowen at the Camden center,” Thornton said, “and we were able to work together to establish a strong community outreach service through Second Harvest’s various food distribution services – summer feeding, after-school feeding, distribution of products in response to various crisis situations, mobile pantries, summer backpack meal distribution, and more.”
Thornton said, “I was always so excited when we could partner with Second Harvest anywhere I worked, and, while I never thought I’d leave library life, the possibility of being the Coordinator of Volunteer and Community Engagement called to me…and here I am!”
The Ray Smith Family Distribution Center saw a brief halt in volunteer activities as the search and training of a new coordinator commenced. Now however, the Volunteer Engagement Area is once again filled with busy volunteers under the guidance of Thornton.
“We’ve picked back up with our shift schedule,” Thornton says, “and I’m very excited to see some of our regular volunteers, my dear friends, as well as new faces. I cannot wait to see the good we can do together for our community!”
Thornton is a long-time resident of Benton County and takes the place of former Coordinator, Jennifer Barker Abbott. She is returning to work in Benton County after a two-and-a-half-year role as the Carroll County Library Director in Huntingdon.
About this return, Thornton had this to say: “I have had so many people welcome me ‘home’ in the past few weeks. I know they mean welcome back to Camden, but after working with my fellow employees and volunteers, both here and in Nashville, I feel I truly am home here at Second Harvest, too, exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
If you, your church or company would like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer Thornton at jennifer.thornton@secondharvestmidtn.org, or call 731-213-5204.