In a one-mile-square Memphis neighborhood of about 2,800 residents, Jacob’s Ladder has spent more than 20 years responding to poverty,
On the third Thursday of every month in Lafayette, Tennessee, cars begin lining up hours before the doors open at Lafayette United Methodist Church. Some arrive early because they’ve been before. Others come because they’re unsure if there will be enough. Many wait quietly—not just for food, but for reassurance that they are not alone.
Family Kitchen is a cooperative meal ministry in McCracken County, Kentucky, supported by 15 congregations—10 United Methodist and five from other denominations—that rotate responsibility for preparing and serving weekly meals. Each church plans, cooks, and serves on a rotating schedule, creating a shared model of ministry grounded in collaboration and consistency.
On Saturday mornings in Antioch, Tennessee, Hamilton United Methodist Church is already in motion before most of the neighborhood wakes
On Saturday mornings in Covington, Tennessee, Covington First United Methodist Church comes to life before sunrise. Volunteers arrive early, sorting food, setting tables, and preparing boxes that will soon be placed into the hands of hundreds of families. By the time distribution begins, a steady rhythm is already in place—organized, familiar, and deeply relational.
High atop Monteagle Mountain in Tennessee, Morton Memorial United Methodist Church has become a vital lifeline for its community. For more than 20 years, the church has addressed hunger on the South Cumberland Plateau, growing a simple act of kindness into a thriving food mission serving hundreds of families each month.
On the west bank of the Tennessee River, Camden First United Methodist Church stands at the heart of Benton County’s small-town life. With roughly 3,000 residents in the city and 15,000 in the county, this rural congregation might seem like a quiet dot on the map—but its food ministry reverberates far beyond the church walls.
In the quiet bend of the highway through Hickman County, Tennessee, the community of Nunnelly carries its history close. Named for a family who settled there in the early 1800s, their generosity shaped the town. In 1924, they gave land for a school; in 1939, land for a church — Nunnelly United Methodist Church — which still stands today.
For more than 120 years, Elders Chapel United Methodist Church has stood at the heart of a small but rapidly growing community about 20 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. What began as a historically African American congregation has grown into a vibrant multicultural church that reflects the changing neighborhood around it.
The Fred and June Blankenship Grant for Individual Assistance made a profound difference in the life of Valegia Wilson Tidwell, a beloved member of the Glencliff community.
Empowering Churches.
Honoring Senior Adults.
Strengthening Communities.
