1. FUEL Program of Cedar Hill Community Church
In Partnership with Pegram Elementary School
Dean Adams, Maddy Eissler, Sydney Finchum, and Megan Klumpe
Belmont University Honors Program
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Table of Contents
Introduction and Charge .........................................................................3
Product and Deliverables........................................................................5
Promoting Awareness of the FUEL Program........................................................5
Accurate Information.......................................................................................................6
Sustainability and Expansion.......................................................................................7
Process ..........................................................................................................9
Results.........................................................................................................12
Conclusion..................................................................................................15
Acknowledgements.................................................................................16
Appendix A: Meet the Team...................................................................17
Appendix B: Research and Data...........................................................18
FUEL of Cheatham County...........................................................................................18
Catherine Knowles and the H.E.R.O. Program...................................................19
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee............................................20
Appendix C: Supporting Documents ...................................................21
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Introduction and Charge
As part of Societies, Institutions, Teams, the introductory course for the Belmont
University Honors LEAD Track under the instruction of Dr. Andrew Johnston, the eight-student
class was divided into two four-student teams. These teams were assigned a community partner
and were required to identify their partners’ need(s) and develop procedures and deliverables to
respond accurately, sufficiently, and efficiently to the particular need(s). Four students in the
class, Dean Adams, Maddy Eissler, Sydney Finchum, and Megan Klumpe, collaborated as a
team under the name “All the Single LEAD-ies.” Initially given a project named “Pegram Fuel”
under the supervision of Josh Ritter, Education Pastor at Cedar Hill Community Church, the
team met many challenges. The original project plan entailed that “Pegram Fuel,” a ministry to
help feed hungry children at Pegram Elementary School, was a new and separate entity in need
of development from the ground up. It was (much) later discovered, however, that another
program, FUEL of Cheatham County, already existed and was covering the same area as
“Pegram Fuel.” After a further inquiry into and investigation of the disorienting
miscommunication, it was determined that “Pegram Fuel” in its then-present form was a
counterproductive enterprise.
The actual identity of “Pegram Fuel” was eventually revealed as a ministry of Cedar Hill
Community Church that delivered healthy snacks and non-perishable food items to hungry
children at Pegram Elementary School. As such, the team’s project plan was revised to focus on
Josh’s needs as a liaison between Cedar Hill Community Church and Pegram Elementary
School; thus, the project of the team was threefold. First, the team planned to develop ways in
which Cedar Hill Community Church could better provide healthy food items to children at the
school. Second, the team wanted to create deliverables that could help facilitate both the church’s
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need for information and direction and the program’s need for marketing, sponsors, and donation
box location partners. Third, follow up on the deliverables was required with a plan for
continuing action that might expand the purposes of Cedar Hill and the newly called “FUEL
Program.” As the process of executing these three purposes matured, the team realized that a
significant detriment to communication was FUEL of Cheatham County’s strong reservations
towards program marketing. Therefore, it followed that a need existed for improved
communication and marketability of the FUEL of Cheatham County program and, most
especially, Cedar Hill’s FUEL Program. As the project advanced, it was made known that little
could be done to promote Cheatham County’s marketability. Nonetheless, the team resolved to
do as much as was possible to market and promote Cedar Hill’s efforts to the church and
surrounding community. What has resulted are, hopefully, procedures and deliverables
substantial and sustainable enough to promote the causes of Cedar Hill’s FUEL Program into a
healthy and successful future.
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Product and Deliverables
In response to the need for promoting awareness of the FUEL Program, several
deliverables were needed. The team sought to provide accurate information about its function
and the ways in which people might support its cause and develop products and procedures for
improved sustainability and expansion. The following categories cover three specific areas of
need, which were either identified initially in the course of the project or discovered later in the
process:
Promoting Awareness of the FUEL Program
The Volunteer Program Director of FUEL of Cheatham County, Jeanna Newton, clearly
stated that she was uninterested in any and all forms of internet presence save a phone number
and physical address located on the Second Harvest Food Bank website; therefore, very little
information was available to the public that would clearly describe the program, its purposes and
function, and the ways in which one might support it or donate their resources to it. In order for
Cedar Hill’s FUEL Program to flourish and grow, it was imperative that deliverables be created
to spread awareness of its existence, its cause, and its needs to the local community. A more
detailed list of deliverables needed for promoting awareness of the FUEL Program is as follows:
1.) A clean-cut, simple, yet recognizable logo that encompassed the mission and vision of
the program and could be used to represent the FUEL Program immediately and in
the future whether or not it expanded its horizons
2.) A simple yet poignant slogan that would address the purposes of the FUEL Program
and embody the heart of its volunteers
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3.) Promotional flyers designed to accompany donation boxes in local community
businesses that would serve both the purpose of explaining what the boxes are for
and for catching the eye of passersby
4.) Some form of internet presence that would both promote awareness of the program
and provide supporters and sponsors with accurate and understandable information.
By providing these deliverables, Josh and the team were confident that the FUEL Program would
enter into a new level of public awareness.
Accurate Information
Due to a significant lack of internet presence and program awareness of Jeanna’s FUEL
of Cheatham County (save for in those churches already participating), Josh was not provided
with accurate information about its existence and, thus, responded to the team with the resources
made available to him. Had the team been provided with accurate information up front, the
project may have allowed them to go even further with Josh and Cedar Hill. Nevertheless, with
the time allotted to them, they knew that one of the most important of deliverables would be one
that could give accurate information to others, preventing the major miscommunication that the
team encountered. Therefore, the following list of deliverables responds to the significant need
for easily accessible and accurate information about Cedar Hill’s FUEL Program:
1.) An informational document containing the FUEL logo, information about the
program and its cause, a list of recommended food items suitable for the children,
and descriptions of ways in which people might donate their time and resources
and/or sponsor a child. Creation of such a document for Jeanna that would serve the
purpose of FUEL of Cheatham County and would be available for churches to
disseminate under its jurisdiction.
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2.) An addition to the Cedar Hill Community Church website that provides site
visitors with thorough and accurate information about the FUEL Program.
3.) A Google account that would be useful as an email for people to contact in search for
such information. These deliverables present accurate information to the public,
which allows them to make informed decisions about how they might participate in
the FUEL Program’s mission.
These deliverables communicate accurate information to the public, which allows them to make
informed decisions about how they might participate in the FUEL Program’s mission.
Sustainability and Expansion
While the team recognized a great need for the FUEL Program to be recognized and
accurately represented to the local community, they understood that any and all efforts to
promote awareness and accurate information would be significantly underutilized if the program
did not have products and procedures to expand both its pool of resources and the scope of its
reach in the community. The following list includes deliverables that would be needed to
respond appropriately to the FUEL Program’s need for sustainability and expansion:
1.) A network of community partners that would serve as donation box locations for
food contributions to the FUEL Program
2.) Again, recognizable flyers for the donation boxes that would catch the attention of
passersby and lead to more donations
3.) Information about how to become an agency of the Second Harvest Food Bank of
Middle Tennessee
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4.) A clear, straightforward “next steps” procedural for Josh that would give him
accurate direction for the program and detailed steps to execute in the season
following the team’s service.
In providing Josh with these products and procedures, the team is ensuring that the
FUEL Program is not only made known to the local community through accurate information,
but also that it is given the sustainability and expansion needed to move the program and its
mission successfully into the future.
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Process
As the team began working with Josh, the vision for “Pegram Fuel” was to build it from
scratch. They created procedures that would take the program from a one-school program to an
organization that expanded to encompass all of Cheatham County. Thus, the process of the team
in its first several weeks was to accomplish this task. Although several accomplishments during
this period turned out to be either inaccurate or unusable, a detailed account of the process will
shed light on some of the needs that the team is addressing.
During the first week of the project, the team focused on brainstorming to create a project
plan. They met for thirty minutes after the class in which they received their project. Some
significant ideas from the meetings were to reach out to the community partner and get a better
understanding of the needs for the project. Further, the week allowed the team to revise some
ground rules to accommodate the nature of the project. While they considered various
deliverables in their initial brainstorming meeting, the meeting with Josh provided a more clear
sense of vision for the project at the time, a vision later found to lead in a false direction.
The team had their first meeting with Josh to get a better sense of what “Pegram Fuel”
was about, what its purpose and mission were, and what were some ways that they might help to
facilitate Josh’s and the program’s needs. What resulted from the meeting was a clearly defined
project plan. The team agreed on some deliverables, created a timeline for the project, discussed
needs, and acknowledged the various challenges surrounding the project. As the team assigned
tasks, they reached a general agreement about the importance of collaboration. Although team
members were given individual tasks, the team felt it necessary to coordinate and discuss each
specific piece of the project as a team. Maddy and Sydney received the responsibility of
delivering products related to marketing, whereas Megan and Dean assumed the task of
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contacting community businesses and churches to find partners to be donation box locations by
calling the organizations and requesting contact information and leads to other organizations in
the area.
The project with “Pegram Fuel” went smoothly. The team created a logo, Facebook, and
email account within a couple weeks of the project plan. All seemed according to plan until
approximately three weeks into the project. As Megan and Dean began calling community
organizations to recruit partners for “Pegram Fuel,” a few organizations explained that they not
only knew about the “FUEL” program but diligently volunteered for it. One particular phone call
with Cindy from the Pegram Church of Christ revealed that her church was donating about 30-40
“bags” of food per week to four different schools in the area. A few phone calls later connected
Dean with P.J., the pastor of Pegram United Methodist. P.J. not only corroborated Cindy’s
claims, but also gave more information and leads to other programs affiliated with the
mysterious “FUEL” program already functioning in the area. A major shift in the direction of the
project was imminent, as the team met to discuss the possible causes of the miscommunication.
The first reaction to the newly acquired information was to ask Josh what he knew about
the program the team encountered. Although he had suspicions of “word spreading” in the area,
he was not clear on what the program was or who supervised it. An entirely new facet of the
project became visible: “Pegram Fuel” was not an entirely original entity like it was being
developed. Thus, the team created a plan to try to find out more information about the mysterious
and elusive “FUEL” program. They began their search by attempting to contact the Pegram
Elementary School guidance counselor, Maria Bobo. However, Maria was not available for
communication, which left the team at a standstill. Time was quickly running out, and with only
three weeks left, the team needed answers or else the project would sink.
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It was then that Josh emailed the team a plain text PDF file with the heading, “FUEL of
Cheatham County.” The document that Josh himself had only just received included a
description of the program and contact information––what the team had sought for weeks––that
directed the team to a person named Jeanna Newton, Volunteer Program Director of FUEL of
Cheatham County. They immediately sent an email to Jeanna that described the
miscommunication in detail, which led to a phone call. The call gave the team significant
information, answering many questions and giving context for an entirely new direction. Their
discoveries about FUEL of Cheatham County can be found in Appendix B on page xx. With the
new information about FUEL of Cheatham County, the team revised their project plan and
focused on closing the project in two weeks.
With very little time remaining in the project, the team began focusing on what could be
delivered. They decided that Josh would become the central focus of the project as a liaison
between Cedar Hill Community Church and Pegram Elementary School. A separate program
that covered Cheatham County was not necessary. Further, since Cedar Hill only provided
snacks throughout the day, other churches were already covering the need for weekend food. The
new project plan focused on promoting awareness of the newly called “FUEL Program” (rather
than “Pegram Fuel”) of Cedar Hill, providing the public with accurate information, and making
the program sustainable and expandable. The following section introduces and itemizes the
deliverables created as part of the new project plan.
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Results
Logo (page 25)
● Clean-cut and simple. The logo displays tableware next to an upward-pointing arrow,
encompassing the vision for the FUEL program and its partners that a full stomach can
lift children out of poverty and set them on the path to success.
● Lime green subject with a gray border.
● The logo is not under legal protection; however, it serves the function of catching the eye
of others and can be used locally to spread the word about the FUEL Program.
Donation Box Flyer (page 26)
● A simple flyer used to go with the donation boxes with display the logo, the name, the
purpose, contact information, and a list of recommended snack donations.
Community Contacts/Donation Locations for snacks (page 27)
● Since Josh’s church still plans on delivering snack foods to Pegram Elementary school,
the list of community partners willing to have a donation box for such snacks is still
usable. This list will be given to Josh so that he may contact these locations and set up a
box for collection.
Cedar Hill Website Addition (page 28)
● Given the amount of blank space on Cedar Hill’s already existing website, a placement of
information about the FUEL program will work great as an addition to the site’s “Give”
page.
● The “Give” page also exists as an area through which one might donate through a PayPal
account, either the one already on the page or a new one created by the church
specifically for FUEL.
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Informational PDF (Josh Ritter, Cedar Hill Community Church) (page 29)
● Similar in concept to the PDF for Jeanna, the one given to Josh provides accurate
information and context for Cedar Hill Community Church.
● Key features: aesthetically pleasing, compact, accessible, and easy to share.
● Contents: Logo, program description, how to get involved, ways to give and how.
Informational PDF (Jeanna Newton) (page 31)
● The document to Jeanna gives accurate information that can be disseminated to the
various churches volunteering under FUEL of Cheatham County.
● Key features: aesthetically pleasing, compact, accessible, and easy to share.
● Contains: Program description, invitation to help and how, and how to donate.
Google Account (page 32)
● A Google account gives Josh access to an email account through and with which he can
send and receive emails for the Cedar Hill FUEL Program.
Next Steps for Josh (page 33)
● As previously mentioned, it is crucial that Josh be given a clear, straightforward
procedure. This will explain in easy-to-follow details the recommended next steps for
him to take in order for the FUEL Program to be sustainable and for it to expand its
horizons in the future.
● The document included items such as information on the benefit and necessity of
improved communication and recommended websites additions. It will also include
information for following up with community partners, donation boxes, and flyers and
detailed steps on how to become an agency of the Second Harvest Food Bank. Second
Harvest is a third party that provides significant discounts on food and equipment.
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Connect with Second Harvest and Agency Application (page 35)
● Second Harvest is the food bank of Middle TN that services various non-profit agencies
in the area. As such, they would be a great connection for Cedar Hill if they wish to
service a Davidson County school with food/snacks in the future.
● The link to the agency application is included for Cedar Hill.
Slogan
● “Feed the Need.” Josh’s idea for the slogan can be used locally as a phrase for
promotional purposes, and will be utilized by Cedar Hill.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the project taught those involved the value of prompt, accurate
communication. The team feels that the included deliverables they have produced will add value
to both Cedar Hill Community Church and to the FUEL Program as a whole. By promoting
awareness of the FUEL Program in the local community, providing the public with accurate
information, and improving the program’s sustainability and scope, Cedar Hill will be equipped
to meet the needs of hungry children at Pegram Elementary School. Following the “next steps”
guideline will allow Josh and Cedar Hill to be able to help more and more children in Davidson
County. Despite the setbacks caused by miscommunication and a lack of marketing on the part
of FUEL of Cheatham County, the project was able to turn around and, with a fast closing speed,
finalize deliverables and produce products that will be both substantial and sustainable. This
project will enable the FUEL Program of Cedar Hill Community Church to be a light in its
community and Feed the Need.
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Acknowledgements
The team would like to thank the following for their generous contributions to the project.
Without their help, this project would not have been a success:
Josh Ritter for his commitment to the FUEL Program through thick and thin and for his passion
to see it benefit the children of Pegram Elementary and the surrounding communities.
Jeanna Newton of FUEL of Cheatham County for her time in helping provide the team with
accurate information that ultimately led to a new direction in the project. Her work in Cheatham
County has been an inspiration to many.
Sara Hamill from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee for her helpful
information on Second Harvest and how to register with them as an agency.
Ann-Elise Wall for the FUEL Program logo.
Cindy from the Pegram Church of Christ and P.J. from Pegram United Methodist for their
helpful information regarding FUEL of Cheatham County in Pegram.
And last but most certainly not least, Dr. Johnston for his guidance, counsel, and direction
through various stages of excitement, confusion, and concern. Your leadership is very
appreciated.
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Appendix A
Meet the Team
In meeting the requirements of HON 3110: Societies, Institutions, Teams, which is
instructed by Dr. Andrew Johnston, the following students collaborated as a team to address the
needs of Josh Ritter and Cedar Hill Community Church and respond with substantial and
sustainable products and procedures:
Dean Adams – Biblical Studies Major, Christian Leadership Minor. Areas of expertise:
public speaking, writing, and organization. Interests include: music, worship leading,
and athletics.
Maddy Eissler – Music Business and Entrepreneurship double major in the Honors
program. Areas of expertise: business development, strategy, and presentations.
Interests include: music, reading, and sleeping.
Sydney Finchum – Social Entrepreneurship major with a concentration in Contemporary
Social Issues and a minor in Marketing. Areas of expertise: customer service,
synthesis, and formatting. Interests included: social justice, travel, and reading.
Megan Klumpe – Entrepreneurship and Marketing double major, Belmont University
Honors Program. Areas of expertise: customer service, business planning, and
community outreach. Interests include: travel, social enterprise, and reading.
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Appendix B
Research and Data
Information about FUEL of Cheatham County from Phone Call with Jeanna Newton
● FUEL of Cheatham County was founded by Jeanna Newton in 2006 in Ashland City,
TN. Her title, Volunteer Program Director, indicates that she and other volunteers do not
get paid for what they do.
● It was copied from a person from Montgomery County who copied it from someone from
Michigan. Several counties have now been influenced to do their own programs.
● FUEL feeds school students over the weekends who live in hunger.
● Local church puts together food bags and delivers to schools
○ counselors deliver on friday
● Cedar Hill is not in Cheatham County. It is in Davidson County.
● At Pegram Elementary, there was an employee who wanted to contribute with her
church (despite it being in Davidson County), so she took the info back to Cedar
Hill. They started giving 10 bags/ week. She then dropped it into lap of Josh Ritter
yet likely did not explain the infrastructure.
● FUEL services 6 elementary schools, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. Every public school
in the county is serviced.
● Some high school students are uncomfortable receiving bags, so they have a pantry closet
in school for them to access.
● FUEL of Cheatham County is a Second Harvest Food Bank agency. It is a non-profit
food distributor, so agencies can purchase at their discount level, allowing the money to
go much farther.
● It functions as a ministry of local churches. Though not a 501 c(3), they have considered
getting that status.
● FUEL of Cheatham County does not want a logo, slogan or internet presence. “We
have purposely kept it simple.” ––Jeanna
● “We want 100% of their time and money to go to the children.” ––Jeanna
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● Students eligible must have a demonstrated need that is recognized by a teacher or
counselor who then contacts Jeanna.
● An annual FUEL meeting is open to counselors and advisors and church volunteers.
● When a church agrees to provide a student with a bag, they need to stay that whole year,
which is why bags are typically covered by sponsorships in the amount of $150 or
abundant tithes.
● Backpack programs exist for metropolitan public schools.
● Ashland City United Methodist started by giving food to Ashland City Elementary
○ Did not know how far the reach was going to go
● If Josh wants to start a program in his county, he should contact Second Harvest and find
where they reach and where they need coverage.
○ THEN approach schools and ask if they need help.
● Ashland city was buying food from Second Harvest, and then they came out to see what
was going on.
● Second Harvest used Ashland’s model for part of their research to form their backpack
program.
● FUEL is a church ministry in Cheatham County, whereas Second Harvest is more
secular. However, they need churches, too.
Information about Catherine Knowles and the H.E.R.O. Program
● Catherine Knowles: catherine.knowles@mnps.org | 615-259-8729
● Catherine is the director of the H.E.R.O. Program.
● H.E.R.O. services about 75 schools in Nashville area
● It focuses on homeless families.
● 800 backpacks/week
● Grant funded
● She probably has some information that she can give people in the community, such as an
informational handout or document.
● Talk to Catherine to find out what schools in the area need help.
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Information about the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
● Sara Hamill: sara.hamill@secondharvestmidtn.org | 615-627-1573
● There are 2 categories of food
○ Donated food from community
■ Given to agencies at the cost of a handling feed
○ Co-op food (2nd Harvest Purchases and sells at a discounted price to agencies)
● Martin Distribution Center
○ 331 Great Circle Rd
○ Can come and see the facility!
○ Ordering of food occurs online.
○ An agency self-manages and then receives an invoice.
● A church can become an agency!
○ Second Harvest partners exclusively with churches and 501 (c)(3) nonprofit orgs.
○ Agencies must complete an application process.
○ If interested in becoming partner, go one can go to the Second Harvest website at
http://secondharvestmidtn.org, scroll to the bottom, click agency zone, and then
download the agency application.
○ A church could do snack foods through Second Harvest just the same as
backpacks.
○ The primary criteria is that an organization is providing food for someone in need.
○ Applicant can mail or walk in the application to the above address.
○ People would come to a one-time orientation before becoming an agency.
■ These orientations recur the 2nd Monday of every month.
■ Josh Ritter could come in May 11, 10am-12pm.
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Appendix C
Supporting Documents
Project Plan (Original)
What are we going to do?
Deliverables:
Website, Facebook account, logo/symbol, promotional material pdfs (stickers, handouts), Pegram Fuel
Gmail account for primary contact,list of community partners, fundraiser plan
When are we going to do it?
Team member commitments and delegated tasks:
Sydney and Maddy: Website, social media, promotional materials
By April 5, a website will be created as well as a Facebook. Sydney and Maddy will also have
promotional material pdfs done by April 5. Sydney will contact Ann-Elise Wall concerning a symbol/logo
for Pegram Fuel by March 6.
Dean and Megan: community outreach and fundraiser coordinating
Dean will create a primary email account through Gmail for Pegram Fuel. Dean and Megan will have a
detailed list of 20 community contacts, including those contacts Josh has sent the group, by March 15.
Dean and Megan will then contact the 20 community partners by March 22 with the goal of having at
least 5 committed businesses.
How often will we be in contact with our partner?
We have agreed with Josh Ritter to meet on an as-needed basis. Sunday afternoons and evenings are our
designated meeting time. We will send any class materials to Josh (i.e. the Project Plan) when we submit
them for class. We will also contact Josh via email or cell when needed.
What are the biggest needs and/or challenges we anticipate?
Needs:
Pegram community contacts
Graphic Design experience
Human Resources:People willing to commit time to expanding the program
Challenges:
Time (5 week time frame)
Getting enough community partners to fully commit to being drop-off sites
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Subject: FUEL of Cheatham County
Dear Jeanna Newton,
My name is Dean Adams,and I am a student at Belmont University working on a project in the Honors
Program. The goal of this project, which is accomplished by a team of four Belmont Honors students, is
to partner with an organization in the community and help to establish ways in which it might reach its
goals, needs, and/or particular vision. So, about 6 weeks ago, we were partnered with Josh Ritter, the
education pastor at Cedar Hill Community Church, who was our community partner contact for an
organization called “Pegram Fuel.” However,the information we received up front was very misleading
and differs from what we have now discovered. I would like to explain some of the confusion we have
experienced and ask if you are able to help bring some clarity to our project.
When we were initially partnered with Josh Ritter, it was to our understanding that “Pegram Fuel,” as it
has so been called, was functioning solely by word of mouth. Further, we were told that Josh basically
“inherited” this project from a lady at his church and that it was his responsibility to oversee this program
in the Pegram area (a program that we were told was starting from scratch). We were given a list of
possible deliverables, such as “a list of local businesses and churches that would be willing to serve as a
donation location, advertising/promotional materials, and a thoughtful and meaningful slogan.” So, with
the information we had received, we began brainstorming possible ways in which to help Josh build up
Pegram Fuel in the Pegram area with donation drop-box locations, promotional handouts, and internet
presence. We even figured that a successfullaunch of the program might even grow it into something
bigger––Cheatham Fuel. It was not until we began calling potential local business/church partners that we
realized just how far off the mark we were.
After calling a few promising churches and businesses who seemed willing to serve as donation locations,
I called Cindy, secretary at the Pegram Church of Christ. Cindy was very happy to inform me that her
church would not only be happy to serve as a donation location but that they were already partnered with
the “FUEL program” and that they volunteered regularly to help deliver bags of food to 4 schools:
Pegram El., Kingston El., and Harpeth Middle and High. I was confused not only by the degree of
infrastructural detail with which she talked about the “FUEL program” but also by the fact that she had
never heard of Josh Ritter. It seemed as though there were two totally separate programs with curiously
similar names. Only a few phone calls later I reach PJ Shaffer,senior pastor at Pegram United Methodist,
and he corroborated everything that Cindy had said. It was becoming more and more apparent that the
“FUEL program” we had come to know was much different than the “Pegram Fuel” we were given to
expand.
It was not until a couple days ago that we received an informational sheet from Josh (that he had only just
received) for “FUEL of Cheatham County.” It described the program as a non-profit ministry that, like we
understood, sought to serve hungry children in the area with food for the weekends. School counselors
(like Maria Bobo at Pegram Elementary) would relay the need to local churches, and the children would
receive the food they need each Friday to take home. The sheet invited local churches to partner with
FUEL and even gave us some contact information, which is where you come into play. Along with your
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name and contact information, it gave an address for monetary donations, which means to us that after all
our wandering and searching, you are most likely the person with whom we need to talk.
With that said, we are currently working under a major time constraint (approximately 1 week) to try and
develop something substantial and sustainable to give to Josh with which he might benefit the Pegram
Community and its participation in the FUEL program. Having explained the situation we are working
with, we would greatly appreciate any help and or information you might be able to give us. Here are
some specific questions we currently have:
● As “Volunteer Program Director” for FUEL, what does your position entail? Are there
directors/supervisors over you or volunteering under you (local overseers)?
● Is the actualname of the program “FUEL of Cheatham County,” and is it the same program
under which churches in the Pegram community would serve?
● Is FUEL of Cheatham County affiliated with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN, and if
so, how does that affiliation function (volunteers, donations, etc.)?
● Based on the information I have provided, would you say that Josh Ritter’s initial job was not to
be a local/regional director but rather to be a kickstarter for his particular church?
● Does the Pegram County have/need local directorship as a branch of Cheatham County, a type of
oversight that Josh could possibly facilitate?
I greatly appreciate your time and any insight you might be able to give that could help to answer our
questions and give us direction with Josh. We were very excited to hear about how developed the FUEL
program has already become, yet slightly confused by how different our accounts had been. If anything,
the lack of accurate information given to Josh in the beginning is a possible testament to the
disconnectedness in the area,and if you feel (like we do) that communication might be lacking
(particularly in the Pegram area but in general as well), we believe that we might be able to help.
I am also wondering if you would be available to discuss this over the phone? An email would be
wonderful, but over the phone there would be more room for discussion. If so, what are some times this
week that would work best for you?
Thank you again for your time and insight. We look forward to hearing back from you at your earliest
convenience and hopefully connecting over the phone.
Sincerely,
Dean Adams
26. 26
Donation Box Flyer
Breakfast Items:
• Pop Tarts
• Small boxes of cereal
• Kellogg’s®Fun Pack Cereal
• General Mills®Breakfast
Pack
• Granola bars
• Nature Valley®Yogurt
Granola Bars
• 100% Apple Juice 10 oz.
plastic bottles
• Apple Sauce, any variety, 4
oz. each
Cheese Items:
• Cheese N Crackers
• Kraft®Handi Snacks
• Ritz®Crackers N Cheese, .
Protein Items:
• Peanut Butter and Crackers
• Chicken of the Sea®Tuna in
4 oz. cups (like applesauce)
• Tuna in a pouch 3 oz. each
• Jif®Peanut Butter individual
tubs
• Nuts in a pouch, individual
serving size 1-2 oz.
• Trail Mix in a pouch,
individual serving size
• Beef sticks, not labeled
“hot” or “spicy,” individual
serving size
Dairy Items:
• Hunts®Snack Pack Pudding,
3.5 oz. cups
• Kraft®Snack Pack Pudding,
3.5 oz. cups
Snack Items:
• Nabisco®Variety Snacks,
1.25 oz. individual bags
• Keebler®Variety Cookie
Snacks, 1.4 oz. individual
bags
• Rice Krispies® treats
SNACKDONATIONS
The FUEL Program at Pegram Elementary School
For more information, please contact: pegramfuelprogram@gmail.com.
27. 27
Potential Community Partners for FUEL Program at Cedar Hill Community Church:
*bold indicates confirmed community partner: NEXT STEP - email information sheet,set up donation
box, etc.
Organization Number Yes/No Email
Kingston Springs Church
of Christ
615-952-5720 Voicemail
Kingston Springs United
Methodist
615-952-2481 tbcarty@gmail.com
Westview Chapel 615-952-2120 Voicemail
Pegram Church of Christ 615-646-6808 Already Involved cindy@pegramchurch.org
White Bluff Church of
Christ
615-797-9016 Maybe tom@whitebluffchurch.org
Water Street Church of
Christ
615-789-5002 Voicemail
Pegram First Baptist
Church
615-646-6400 Voicemail
Pegram United Methodist 615-646-6033 Already Involved pjshaffer33@gmail.com
Harpeth Baptist 615-378-1136 cstrickland@harpethbaptist.org
The Ark 615-457-1931 Already Involved acarty.ark@gmail.com
Finch's Country Store 615-646-2937 Yes wallyfree@hotmail.com
Pegram Fire Department 615-646-6800 Voicemail
Lawrence Foods Inc
(grocery)
615-952-4366 Yes lawrencefoods@att.net
Community Bank and
Trust: Kingston Springs
615-952-9292 Yes jennifer.davenport@cbtcc.com
Community Bank and
Trust: Pegram
615-673-7722 Yes lori.healley@cbtcc.com
Heritage Bank 615-952-9143 asking upper management,
will call back Megan or
Josh
28. 28
FUEL of CheathamCounty
FUEL of Cheatham County is a nonprofit ministry that feeds local school children who
have a demonstrated need for food throughout the week and on weekends.
Cedar Hill Community Church is a branch of FUEL of Cheatham County serving students at
Pegram Elementary. FUEL seeks to provide children with healthy snacks and other food items to
give them the fuel they need to learn and play! When children are hungry, it is difficult for them
to be engaged and learn at school. They have difficulty paying attention and may be listless and
agitated. When children are unequipped to learn because of hunger, they are more likely to live in
poverty as an adult. By joining FUEL, you release children from poverty and Feed the Need.
If you would like to make a monetary donation or sponsor a child,* you can make donations
through Paypal or make checks payable to:
Cedar Hill Community Church
645 Old Hickory Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37209
*By sponsoring a child for $150, you are providing an entire year of weekend meals to a child
living in poverty.
For questions regarding sponsorships, monetary donations, food drop box locations, or for more
information about the FUEL Program, please email the Cedar Hill FUEL director at
pegramfuelprogram@gmail.com.
(insert Paypal button)
29. 29
Thank you so much for your interest in the FUEL
Program!
FUEL of Cheatham County is a nonprofit ministry that feeds
school children who have a demonstrated need for food
throughout the week and on weekends.
Cedar Hill Community Church is a branch of FUEL of Cheatham County that serves students at
Pegram Elementary. FUEL seeks to provide children with healthy snacks and other food items to
give them the fuel they need to learn and play! When children are hungry, it is difficult for them to
engage and learn at school. They have difficulty paying attention, may be listless, and become easily
agitated. When a child is unequipped to learn because of hunger, they are more likely to live in
poverty as an adult. By joining FUEL, you release children from poverty and Feed the Need.
Cedar Hill is collecting healthy, non-perishable snacks for children to have between meals
throughout the week. See the back for a list of recommended food donations!
If you would like to make a monetary donation or sponsor a child,* you can make donations
through Paypal at http://www.cedarhillnashville.com/give/ or make checks payable to: Cedar Hill
Community Church
645 Old Hickory Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37209
*By sponsoring a child for $150, you are providing an entire year of weekend meals to a child living
in poverty.
For questions regarding sponsorships, monetary donations, food donation box locations, or for
more information about the FUEL Program, please email the Cedar Hill FUEL director at
pegramfuelprogram@gmail.com.
30. 30
Recommended Food Donations to FUEL
Breakfast Items such as:
● Pop Tarts, any variety or brand
● Small boxes of cereal
● Kelloggs Fun Pack Cereal
● General Mills Breakfast Pack
● Granola bars
● Nature Valley Yogurt Granola Bars
100% Apple Juice 10 oz. plastic bottles
Apple Sauce, any variety, 4 oz. each
Cheese Items such as:
● Cheese N Crackers
● Kraft Handi Snacks Ritz Crackers N Cheese, .95 oz. each (Look for the Real Kraft Cheese
Symbol)
Protein Items such as:
● Peanut Butter and Crackers
● Chicken of the Sea Tuna in 4 oz. cups (like applesauce)
● Tuna in a pouch 3 oz. each
● Jif Peanut Butter individual tubs
● Nuts in a pouch, individual serving size 1-2 oz.
● Trail Mix in a pouch, individual serving size
● Beef sticks, not labeled “hot” or “spicy,” individual serving size
Dairy Items (look for Real Nonfat Milk is our #1 ingredient) such as:
● Hunts Snack Pack Pudding, 3.5 oz. cups
● Kraft Snack Pack Pudding, 3.5 oz. cups
Snack Items such as:
● Nabisco Variety Snacks, 1.25 oz. individual bags
● Keebler Variety Cookie Snacks, 1.4 oz. individualbags
● Rice Krispy treats
31. 31
Thank you so much for your interest in FUEL of Cheatham County!
FUEL of Cheatham County is a nonprofit ministry that was created to help feed local school
children that have little or no food on weekends.
We estimate that about 400 children go 67 hours with little or no food from lunch at school on Friday
until breakfast at school on Monday morning. When children are hungry, it is difficult for them to be engaged
in learning activities at school: they have poor attention spans and may be listless or agitated. Consequently,
when children are ill equipped to learn because of hunger, they are more likely to live in poverty as an adult. The
FUEL Program provides bags of food to the school counselors to be placed in the backpacks of
these children on Fridays. The kids enjoy the food over the weekend, and the program continues every
Friday throughout the school year.
How it works: Teachers and school counselors identify students who may benefit from the program. Local
churches purchase individual serving food items, pack food bags, and bring the bags to the school for
distribution.
What can you do to help? We need the help of churches in Cheatham County! Each church adopting
the FUEL Program will be paired with a school in Cheatham County and will collect and/or purchase food
to be bagged and taken to that school. We will not know which children receive the food bags, and they will not know any
person who is providing the food. They will simply know that a local church, the Body of Christ, loves them. We
serve by taking the bags of food to the school for distribution. School counselors ensure that the food is
placed in the backpacks of the children in need.
Get your church involved: If you would like more information on becoming a FUEL coordinator for your
Church, or would like for someone to come and share more information with your Church, call Jeanna
Newton, Volunteer Program Director, at 615-945-7099 or email jeanna.newton@vanderbilt.edu.
Make a tax deductible donation to FUEL of Cheatham County: Any amount will help to feed the
children. $150 feeds a child for a school year. Mail your checks to FUEL of Cheatham County, P.O. Box
82, Ashland City, TN 37015.
Benefits from the FUEL Ministry: The following are stories shared by the school counselors about
children participating in our FUEL Program.
● Children have improved behavior and self esteem.
● Children are more alert and have energy to participate in class.
Children who have had excessive absences from school in the past now attend on a regular basis. They feel
better about themselves and have a desire to attend school.
33. 33
Your Next Steps
Josh, it has been a pleasure working with you on this project! Although there have been some setbacks
regarding communication, it has not hindered us from developing what we feelis substantial and
sustainable. However,in order for this to be a reality, it is important that you follow the list of steps we
have compiled for you. These steps walk you through what is needed for proper implementation of
deliverables and will help you to establish Cedar Hill in the local community. Please observe these steps
as a guideline for success. Based on our research,Cedar Hill will have its greatest benefit from the
deliverables when they are partnered with the following process. Please contact our team if you have any
questions.
- Improve Communication Efforts.
- Utilize informational PDFs to communicate information about the FUEL Program and
Cedar Hill with members of the church and the community.
- Utilize emails and phone calls to contact others.
- Reach out to Jeanna Newton to pick her brain and learn more about the FUEL program so
that, if you have any questions regarding the startup for your own FUEL-esque program,
you have her as a resource.
- Implement the website addition.
- Create a second paypal account for the FUEL Program to be used on the Cedar Hill
website.
- Add FUEL information under the “Give” tab of the church website
- Change the word “deductable” to “deductible” on the “Give” page of the website.
- Contact confirmed community partners and provide them with donation boxes and flyers.
- Become a Second Harvest agency.
- Research Second Harvest Food Bank to learn more about who they are and what they do
to help feed the hungry in Tennessee.
34. 34
- Contact Catherine Knowles (catherine.knowles@mnps.org) to identify a local Davidson
County school that needs help.
- Contact that school to determine the need for food.
- Bring the Second Harvest agency application to your church’s administration to discuss
completing it. For information on the application, follow this link:
http://secondharvestmidtn.org/agency-zone/become-a-partner-agency/
- Turn in completed application to the address below
- Attend a required orientation at the Second Harvest Warehouse before becoming an
agency
- Second Harvest Food Bank; 331 Great Circle Road; Nashville, TN 37228
- Next orientation: May 11, 2015, 10 AM–12 PM
- Every second Monday of the month
- For any question regarding Second Harvest Food Bank, contact Sara Hamill:
sara.hamill@secondharvestmidtn.org or 615-627-1573
- Second Harvest agencies receive foods and snack items at incredible discounts,
allowing all money, donations, and sponsorships to go much, much farther. Cedar
Hill Community Church can become a Second Harvest agency!
