East Nashville church hosts live music event to raise food donations for school kids in need

A church in East Nashville has opened its doors to local musicians who want to give back to kids facing food insecurity.

St. John’s Lutheran Church recently hosted a “Singing for their Supper” event where attendees could hear live performances from genres ranging from gospel to jazz to country while donating food for students in need.

Nashville’s branding as “Music City” makes it the perfect place to host a musical event to raise awareness about food insecurity, according to Marci Boggs, a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and one of the event’s organizers.

“We thought this would be a good opportunity because Nashville has so many great musicians,” she told WPLN News. “We knew a lot of songwriters, a lot singers, and lots of players. And we thought, man, why don’t we just get them all together for a night.”

The purpose of the event was to collect food bags to give to students during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

“There’s a lot of time where they were getting meals at their schools and all of a sudden they’re not,” she said. “And some of their parents are really struggling to put food on the table.”

More than 40% of Tennessee families with children report being food insecure, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center poll. 

Government assistance, like the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), seeks to combat the impacts of poverty and food insecurity. However, that program has recently been subject to new restrictions, limiting its reach.

The church’s pastor, Reverend Rick Roberts, says they’ve long partnered with schools in Nashville’s Donelson community. When they ask about the most pressing need among school age kids, he said the answer is always the same.

“Over the last several years through our work in the community with our schools that we partner with, I see and I hear almost daily the need for the children who are food insecure,” he said. “There is a huge issue out there for whatever the reasons are.”

The school partners with Two Rivers Middle School, Margaret Allen Middle School, McGavock High School, McGavock Elementary School and Napier Elementary School.

The church hosted a similar event in May to raise food for kids to eat during summer vacation. People donated 653 bags of food.

“Giving them supplemental food to our students not only meets nourishment needs but it also reminds them they are loved and supported by a large community,” said Marc Anthony Peek, a staff member at Napier Elementary School.

Roberts said the goal is to raise 1000 bags this time around.

People who want to donate food can bring any donations to the church through the month of October. The address is 3259 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214.