Volume 2 | Number 1 - Winter 2026
As we move more fully into 2026, we are excited to share the challenges and blessings from this past quarter, along with initiatives that we will pursue in the year ahead. We invite you into these stories and ask that you share them with others!
Thank you for living into the life of The Well Outreach!
This past quarter The Well Outreach was blessed to continue our ministry with the support of so many within our community. Here is a look back at the gifts we shared and those we were given.
Together in Tough Times
In 2025, our community faced unprecedented challenges: UAW layoffs, cuts to SNAP benefits, and a looming government shutdown. These circumstances shook the foundations of many families, friends, and neighbors. Yet, amid these trials, our community responded with remarkable compassion and solidarity...
A Morning to Remember
On a typical Monday morning, I returned to the pantry, ready to serve our community. As the clock struck 8:30 AM, something incredible began to unfold. One by one, individuals began pouring in with food donations - each arrival a testament to the community's spirit. It felt as though someone had turned on a tap, and the generosity flowed freely.
The Call for Help
Throughout the day, our phones rang incessantly. Calls poured in from individuals eager to lend a hand, asking, "How can we help?" Their willingness to step up reminded me of the strength of our community bonds. Our website traffic skyrocketed - 10 times the usual visits - as people sought to get involved. Food drive sign-ups quickly reached an impressive 40 active drives!
A Collective Effort
Churches, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods rallied together, embodying the spirit of Philippians 2:4, which encourages us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others. Donation boxes appeared in droves, as groups mobilized to support their neighbors in need. Each contribution was a reminder that, even in tough times, we are never alone.
The Well Outreach: A Beacon of Hope
As I watched our efforts unfold at The Well Outreach, I felt a surge of hope. The spirit of community generosity was evident, echoing the Biblical story of the loaves and fishes in John 6:9-13. Just as a boy offered his meager lunch of five loaves and two fish, our community came together to share what little we had. And just like in the miracle of multiplication, our small acts of kindness combined to create an abundant supply for those in need. As it says in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Looking Forward
In reflecting on these events, let’s carry forward the spirit of generosity that emerged during this challenging time. Together, we can continue to build a supportive network that uplifts every member of our community. Thank you for being part of this journey. Your kindness and commitment to supporting our neighbors makes a profound difference every day. Always Serving
A Story of Bountiful Giving
Back in November, as SNAP benefits were being cut back, we know at The Well Outreach that we were going to experience potentially record numbers of guest visits. And we did.
We put contingencies in place and held true to our core value of seeing challenges as opportunities. We expected our careful pivoting might be the centerpiece of this chapter of our ministry. But it wasn't. As Eric Ocha's story above shares, the response was even more overwhelming and inspiring than the challenge, and nowhere was the generosity more richly contributed than from The Bridge Church in Spring Hill.
As we ran out of room to store dropped off food in our Spring Hill pantry, our CEO Shelly Sassen reached out to The Bridge Church and asked if they might act as a food repository for us.
Without hesitation, they responded YES.
But what eventuated was more than some space allocated for food collection boxes. Their community organized volunteers to package and sort the food that was brought in such that, when it was finally brought to the Spring Hill pantry, it was ready to be weighed and directly integrated on to our pantry shelves.
By the time SNAP benefits were restored, all of us at The Well Outreach looked back in both wonder and gratitude at The Bridge Church. In truth we can't imagine how we could have maintained such an elevated response without them.
Jetpacks: Bringing Comfort and Hope
For many students across Williamson and Maury Counties, Christmas break meant presents under the tree, family gathered around warm meals, and time spent traveling to see loved ones. But for far too many of the students we serve, the holiday season looked very different. Christmas vacation can mean an empty pantry, no electricity at home, and the uncertainty of where the next meal will come from.
One high school student recently shared with her principal that her family’s “special” Christmas dinner would be several Lunchables arranged on a fancy plate - an image that stays with us and reminds us why our work matters so deeply.
Jetpacks exist to help bridge that "gift gap" and ensure students in our area have food to reach for when school doors are closed. This past Christmas break, each student received a Jetpack containing ten meals and four snacks. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, each student also received two additional meals and two additional snacks to help carry them through the holidays, along with a special treat - a coupon for a free ice cream cone from McDonald’s, generously donated by the Wolfe Family. Packing and delivering 2,226 Jetpacks for Christmas break takes an incredible amount of care, time, and teamwork, and we are so grateful for the volunteers and donors who made it possible. Because of you, students experienced a little more comfort, dignity, and hope this holiday season.
Here is a look at some of our plans for this next quarter at The Well Outreach. Everything we do within our ministry is rooted in community, and we invite you to explore how you can join us!
Night of Hope
The Well Outreach’s first fundraiser of the year is our annual gala, which offers guests an opportunity to enjoy dinner, a live auction and a concert. In 2026 we will again host the event at Worldwide Stages and welcome Big Daddy Weave to the stage! For more information, to purchase tickets or learn about sponsorship opportunities, please visit our event web page.
The Well Outreach Turns 20
2026 marks a special year for our ministry - it is our 20th anniversary! We will officially launch our year of recollection, celebration and gratitude at our Night of Hope gala on February 28. To help us recognize this special year, Luiza Simoes from Ramsey Solutions offered volunteer time to design a commemorative logo. Luiza is a marketing designer with Ramsey Solutions who offered the following reflection on her gracious efforts:
My name is Luiza Simoes. Originally from Brazil, I lived in Florida for about 12 years before moving to Franklin from Clearwater with my family and pets, believing God led us here. I have about 15 years of experience as a graphic designer and for the past two years have worked as a Marketing Designer at Ramsey Solutions. I was especially excited to partner with The Well after visiting and seeing the incredible impact their organization has made in our community over the past 20 years. I’m grateful to see my version of this logo as part of that milestone and hopeful to contribute again. It is inspiring to witness the passion and love that drive their mission.
And here are the fruits of her time and talent. Thank you Luiza!
Food Drives Make a Difference in a Number of Ways
Every week at The Well Outreach, we get to witness something special: groups of all kinds arriving with local food drive deliveries to stock our pantries. Whether it’s a troop of boy scouts or girl scouts, a local business, or a church group, seeing the community come to our doorstep to provide the gift of food is an incredible joy.
Sometimes we forget to share just how much of an impact these drives truly have.
In 2025, we were blessed with over 100 food drives from our local community! With the average drive bringing in 12–15 of our large white donation boxes (each holding about 100 pounds of food), these efforts accounted for nearly 10% of all the food we received last year. Food drives aren't just a "bonus"—they are a cornerstone of our work.
But what makes them so vital? It goes beyond just the weight on the scale.
Putting the "Choice" in Client Choice Pantry
We believe that offering our guests choice fosters dignity. We work hard to provide the most dignifying grocery shopping experience possible, and food drives are the secret to the variety on our shelves.
While a large portion of our food is rescued from food banks or grocery stores, the "favorites" often come from food drives. When a family picks out their favorite products to donate, those meaningful choices translate directly to our shelves, giving our guests a sense of uncompromised dignity.
Extending the Budget for Strategic Purchases
When food drives solve our "PB&J problems," it frees us up to focus our spending where it's needed most. By sourcing canned vegetables, soups, cereal, and dry goods through drives, we can use our budget to purchase:
- Fresh produce
- Milk, eggs, and dairy
- Frozen proteins (our most requested items)
The Bottom Line: Food drive sponsors the peanut butter so we can buy the ground beef!
Telling the Story of Hunger
Every time a food drive pops up at a school, office, or church, the story of hunger in our community is being told. It is a point of communication as much as it is a point of collection; it speaks to the “outreach” part of our name and is a beautiful way to invite others to learn about our mission and the importance of feeding the hungry in Jesus’ name.
Ready to Start a Food Drive?
Thank you for sharing our story and serving with us. We truly cannot do this without you—after all, it takes a community to feed a community! If you’re ready to schedule your next food drive, just follow the link below. We can even arrange to have one of our box trucks pick up the donations!
To Vomo We Go!
This year will see a number of changes and growth opportunities for us at The Well Outreach. One that has already been put in place is the adoption of a new volunteer management system, entitled VOMO. We launched this new platform at the very start of 2026 and have already onboarded more than 600 volunteers! Our hope is that this new system will help us communicate more efficiently these important and impactful people, without whom we could not do the work we do. For more information, please visit our Volunteering web page.
Here is a collection of great photos and accounts of the churches, organizations and individuals who gave of themselves to help support our ministry this past quarter.
Dr. Wes’ Orthodontics did a “December Retainer” promotion with every retainer sold giving back a portion to the Well to feed local families in need! It was so successful they raised over $3500 for The Well!
Girl Scout Troop 1137 raised 220 pounds of food for our Spring Hill pantry!
The Goldton at Spring Hill served over the holidays. They helped pack over 250 kids treat bags for the pantry. They love being active and still making a difference in their community.
Nick Albrecut, from the Maury County Animal Service, drops off hundreds of pounds of pet food every month and sometimes twice! They even bag it for us!
K-LOVE served at the Mount Pleasant food pantry for a full day in December! They loved being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Frontier Learning Academy served in our Mount Pleasant pantry in November, with middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults serving together!
The Battle Creek High School boys soccer team helped pack Jetpacks during their winter break and scored a huge “goal” in serving their community!
Hayes Insulation served in the Spring Hill pantry in January. They helped with personal shopping, courtesy clerk, in the depot, and on projects.
A quote from Lauren Stuart, their Special Projects Coordinator - Thank you for the opportunity! Our crew absolutely LOVED serving last Thursday! You will see us again!
Credits:
A quarterly newsletter of The Well Outreach