“Now, thanks to Dollar General, I don’t have to tell people no anymore.”

Ever since moving to West Tennessee almost two decades ago, Ray has tried to think of ways to use his church to help those facing challenges. Pleasant Hill Methodist Church has a small congregation, but that doesn’t mean they can’t give back. Their hunger relief work came to Ray, though, almost as an accident. Their first Christmas in Tennessee, Ray and his wife attended a Breakfast with Santa at Pleasant Hill, and Ray noticed people at the breakfast who he didn’t normally see on Sunday. He assumed the families just wanted to have their kids see Santa before Christmas but when he asked he found out that wasn’t the case. They had attended because they were in need of a warm and nourishing meal. Ever since that morning, Ray has done whatever he can to fight hunger in his community.

The work has been hard, though. Pleasant Hill only has a dozen or so members, and couldn’t afford to give out too much food. Ray was always able to provide food to people in an emergency, but was never able to provide stable access to his community. Pleasant Hill just did not have the capacity to house and distribute that much food. Now, though, with the help of Dollar General that is, thankfully, no longer the case. Dollar General has supplied Pleasant Hill with multiple freezers, shelving, and a steady supply of food donations so Ray can give food to those who need it most whenever they ask. Not only is Ray on call for whenever his neighbors need assistance, he and other volunteers at Pleasant Hill deliver food directly to the homes of the people they serve – ensuring that no one goes hungry regardless of their situation.

Ray says Dollar General’s food donations are typically milk, other dairy products, and meat. These items are hard to find at most food pantries, but are staples for many people’s diets. These donations, along with a produce box from Second Harvest can provide all the food a family needs to feed themselves. “I love dropping off food to kids,” Ray says. “As soon as I get there, they grab an apple from the box and get a glass of milk. These kids don’t get many treats, and so that is important for them.”

As Ray continues to fight hunger in his community, we have to thank Dollar General for all they do to make that fight possible.