Volume 2 | Number 2 - Spring 2026
As we move into the warmer months of 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.
It Takes a Community, It Takes a Team
At The Well Outreach, we often say, “It takes a community to feed a community.” Every day, that truth comes to life through the generosity, compassion, and commitment of people like you. Through our food pantries in Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant, mobile food pantry distributions throughout the year, and more than 1,200 Jetpacks delivered to 30 local schools, The Well Outreach serves over 100,000 people in our community each year. None of this would be possible without our tireless volunteers, faithful supporters, and dedicated team of 25 staff members. I am honored to join that team as The Well Outreach's first-ever Chief People Officer. This new role was created to:
- help strengthen employee engagement
- improve retention and
- ensure the culture of organization remains healthy and mission focused as we continue growing to meet the needs of our community.
My wife, Maryanne, and I have three children and own two local businesses, Saladworks and Burn Boot Camp. We love this community deeply, and we are grateful to live in a place where organizations like The Well Outreach make sure local families - our neighbors - do not go without food. Because of your support, parents facing impossible choices are able to place healthy groceries on their tables. Children who might otherwise go hungry over the weekend receive dependable meals through our Jetpack Program. Neighbors facing hardship are welcomed not with judgment, but with dignity, compassion, and care. As such, your generosity does more than provide food. It brings relief to a single mother carrying heavy burdens. It offers encouragement to a father working to regain stability. It restores hope to families who need to know they have not been forgotten.
Each person who walks through our doors carries a story, a struggle, and a desire for something better. Because of you, we are able to meet them right where they are, with nourishment, kindness, and the love of Christ.
We are especially grateful for the many ways supporters make this ministry possible:
- monthly gifts
- one-time donations
- volunteer hours
- food drives
- prayers, and
- encouragement.
Every act of generosity, no matter the size, becomes part of something far greater than any one gift alone. Thank you for standing with The Well Outreach and with the families we serve.
With gratitude, Paul Goldsmith
Pennies From Heaven
A Little Backstory
In Easton, Pennsylvania, there is a theatre that has been around for over a hundred years. The theatre has been many things in its long history, from a bank to a speakeasy, to a hub for the budding vaudeville scene, and has held some of the biggest names in showbiz that you may think of. In the 1980’s, there was a gentleman by the name of Freddy who was the custodian of the building. He was there for many years, and when he passed, there was a deep sense of loss as well as emptiness for the staff that remained; until there wasn’t. What I mean by that is one day, as a coat check girl by the name of Lois was working, a bright shiny penny appeared in the middle of the room. She knew it was out of the ordinary, as she had just cleaned. Over the coming months, pennies kept appearing in random spots of the theatre and were always in the middle of the room. Always bright and shiny. New. I say all of this to give backstory, as this was told to me as a little girl at a summer camp. I went to summer camp at the State Theatre for almost a decade as a little girl, and every year Ms. Lois, who was in her eighties at the time, told the story of Freddy and her pennies. I always took this story to heart, as I thought it was a wonderful way for her to stay connected to her friend for many years. She expressed that she never felt alone. She knew he was always there. I lost my dad to a very aggressive form of leukemia in 2013. He was a massive supporter of my passion for the arts and knew ALL about Ms. Lois’ pennies. He went to every concert, every recital, every play - even the terrible ones. When he passed on, there was a massive hole left in my life. I was nineteen, still in college with no real sense of direction, and I felt incredibly lost. Then the pennies started.
The Pennies
At first, I didn’t think too much of them; after all, they were in relatively logical places - the middle of the laundromat, the grocery aisle. However, eventually it became obvious that the pennies were not just left behind by a hole in someone’s pocket. The locations became more intentional. They started showing up in places where a bright new penny had no business being. They showed up in walk-in coolers, on top of vehicles used for unloading freight, parking lots directly on my walking path. The pennies had in common that they were always shiny, but then I noticed something that gave specialness to each one - their dates. Every penny I discovered had a date that was significant to my life - my children’s birthdays, the year I lost my dad, my wedding anniversary and other dates in-between. The pennies have never stopped, just as his love and support never has. There have been times, even recently, where I’ve felt alone, lost. So, I’ve asked, and sometimes I get a response and sometimes I don’t. But often in times of big change in my life a penny shows up. I can’t look for them. They have to just catch my eye.
The Penny I Just Discovered
Toward the end of April, I was invited on a tour of our new Well Outreach building next door to our Spring Hill pantry. I knew the building had been swept; it was empty of all contents and had been vacuumed. However, as Shelly was casting her vision in the space, I happened to look down. There, at my feet was a bright, shiny penny.
This new space on our Spring Hill campus represents an opportunity for The Well Outreach, but so too it represents an uncertainty. We are still exploring how we will use this building to supplement our food pantry.
Every time The Well Outreach considers a next growth step for our organization, we do so prayerfully so as to best ensure that it represents God’s will for us.
And while looking to heaven is most framed as looking up and hoping for a godly response, I found the encouragement of the spirit of my dad leaving yet another shiny penny on the floor to be the perfect answer. We’re not alone in our discernment. My Dad is here, cheering us on from wherever he may be, and he’s given our expansion into this new building his own go-ahead. He’s proud of what we’re doing, and I am grateful for his part in our collective spiritual encouragement.
From the Voices of Those We Serve
This past year, The Well Outreach undertook a research project entitled The Hope Project, which sought to gather feedback and insights from our guests. This effort marked, for what we believe was the first time, a direct and formal outreach to those we serve.
Sending the Survey
The survey was created with 61 questions. An invitation to complete the survey was sent via text message to 5368 people whom we had served in the past year. From that large total population, we received 276 responses.
Our Research Questions
The 61 questions were categorized into four groups so as to collectively gather responses on these core topics:
- What motivates guests to return beyond food insecurity?
- How does our pantry fit into their monthly food strategy?
- What emotional and spiritual changes occur through our services?
- How does our impact vary across different life circumstances?
Key Findings
The following statements represent respondents' answers to the four question topics: What motivates guests to return beyond food insecurity? Guests repeatedly emphasize that The Well Outreach provides dignity, emotional support, and a welcoming human experience. How does our pantry fit into their monthly food strategy? The Well Outreach helps guests manage the most financially difficult weeks of the month and maintain healthier eating than they could afford otherwise, allowing families to stretch limited budgets without sacrificing nutrition. What emotional and spiritual changes occur through our services? The Well significantly shifts emotional/spiritual trajectory for many households. Guests report substantial gains in hope, peace of mind, confidence, and connection. How does our impact vary across different life circumstances?
- For high-dependence households, there was 74% reported a boost in their emotional welfare.
- For single-parent households, 64% reported gains in community stability.
- For seniors (65 and older) 87% reported high appreciation for the warm welcome and prayerful engagement they received.
What the Voices Told Us
The results of this inquiry confirm without question that our guests resonate and respond with gratitude to the HOW and WHAT of our ministry. The Well Outreach fills not only a physical wellness need but also attends to the care of the human spirit. The very first words to appear on our website are Hope. Dignity. Kinship. The Hope Project has helped us confirm the integrity of our efforts to offer those graces to our guests.
Hope in Action: A Year of Impact Through Each Jetpack
As we reflect on the 2025–26 school year, we are filled with gratitude for the many ways God has worked through the Jetpack program to care for students in our community. What began as a mission to meet a practical need has continued to grow into a powerful expression of love, provision, and hope.
This year, 1,161 students across 32 schools in Maury and Williamson Counties received consistent support through Jetpacks. Together, we distributed 47,601 Jetpacks, providing an incredible 239,166 meals to children who might otherwise go without food on the weekends.
Behind every number is a child known and loved by God, and a community that stepped forward in faith to serve them. Jetpacks are made possible by the hands and hearts of local churches, businesses, and individual sponsors who not only give financially, but also show up to pack each bag with care.
Week after week, volunteers of all ages gathered to serve, demonstrating that when the Body of Christ comes together, lives are changed in meaningful and lasting ways.
This year brought exciting growth and improvements. We expanded into two additional schools, reaching even more students in need. Through a grant, we introduced reusable Jetpack crates, streamlining the packing and delivery process and making it easier for both volunteers and school staff to serve efficiently. We also enhanced our monthly menus, offering greater variety and improved nutritional values ensuring that students receive not just food, but nourishment that supports their well-being.
As we look ahead to the 2026–27 school year, our commitment remains the same: to ensure every child has reliable access to food beyond the school day. With prayerful anticipation, we are planning to expand into three more schools and serve 1,400 students. However, this growth comes with a need. At our current funding level, 279 students are still waiting for a sponsor. We believe God will provide, just as He always has, through faithful partners willing to step in and make a difference. Whether through a church, business, or individual family, every sponsorship represents a child who will be seen, supported, and sustained. Would you prayerfully consider joining us? For more information on how to sponsor local students, please contact Betsy Bushuiakovish, Jetpack Program Director at Betsy@thewelloutreach.org or visit our Well Outreach Jetpack webpage.
Together, as a community, we can continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus, meeting tangible needs, sharing hope, and reminding every child they are supported and cared for.
My Passion Is Now My Purpose
Hi, I’m Eric Ocha, and I have just shifted into the new role of Senior Director of Pantry Services. I’ve been part of The Well Outreach family since 2015, as a volunteer, donor, and board member. My roots are in the grocery business, going all the way back to when I was in high school. Now, nearly twenty years later, God has brought me to the place I’m meant to be. Every day I get to do this work alongside truly amazing people: our resilient guests, our dedicated volunteers, and some of the most compassionate, hardworking colleagues I know—our staff. Together we make an impact on our community one guest at a time. I’m known for “moving and shaking” at The Well, but it’s all in service of our mission. Our pantry partnerships with grocery stores, retail and restaurant chains, local businesses, and farmers amplify what we can do and allow us to serve more families with dignity and care. We meet guests where they are, walk alongside them, and provide practical support, encouragement, and real hope.
We believe in filling people's spirits first, then grocery carts.
Every conversation, every donated meal, and every bag packed is an opportunity to restore dignity and bring hope. What began as a dream has become my calling, and it’s a blessing to turn my passion into purpose each day. It is from that place of purpose that I invite you to join us in this work: volunteer, donate, or simply spread the word. Together we can continue to strengthen our community. I’m continually inspired by the generosity and creativity of everyone who supports our pantry - from donors and partners to volunteers who show up with big hearts and willing hands. Your involvement fuels our mission and helps transform lives.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Always Serving -EO
The 20,000 Pound Wedding Gift
The Well Outreach has a treasure trove of remarkable stories of generosity, and this one is among the most special... Elizabeth and Mike Bellamy celebrated their wedding at the end of last year. Instead of asking for gifts, they asked friends and family for donations on behalf of The Well Outreach. So many donations came in that they turned the collective support into a Mobile Food Pantry sponsorship.
On March 28, their sponsorship helped bring 20,000 pounds of food to fed 275 families at Mount Pleasant Middle School!
Thank you Elizabeth and Mike for your creativity and compassion that touched the lives of so many!
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!
Run For Hunger
Our fifth annual Run For Hunger event promises to be the best one ever! Join us for this important summer fundraiser that invites your whole family to start the 4th of July with a fun and meaningful contribution to our ministry. Event Information Saturday, July 4 Summit High School Spring Hill, TN All of the fun and celebration of our previous Run For Hunger events will be on hand again! And this year, we are giving every participant the chance to make an even greater impact on our community by taking up the Miles For Meals Fundraising Challenge.
Everything you need to know, along with quick and secure registration, is at The Well Outreach Run For Hunger webpage. We hope to see you there!
A New Partnership
At our Night of Hope event back in February, The Well Outreach introduced what we hope will become one strand in what we are calling pARTnerships.
In our live auction, we sold two painted portrait packages which are currently being created by local artist Darrell Chitty. Darrell, who is an accomplished and acclaimed portrait artist, has graciously offered to create these two family portraits with the proceeds going to The Well Outreach. He will be creating a third portrait of Shelly Sassen our CEO, which will also be included in a showing in the weeks ahead. The featured image here, along with the following two embedded images, represent just some of Darrell's many works.
It is Darrell's hope, along with ours, that we can continue this partnership with successive portraits and showings. We hope to further expand our pARTnerships initiative into the vibrant local music community!
The Peanut Butter & Jelly Jam
It's time to jam again...
Bread’s been feeling a little lonely lately — and we can’t have that! It’s time to reunite the pantry’s favorite trio and restock our shelves with peanut butter and jelly. Last year, these two spreads raced neck‑and‑neck to see who could fill the most jars — and our community jammed out in a big way. This year, we’re bringing the fun back with a fresh challenge: help us spread the love (literally) by donating jars of peanut butter and jelly to The Well Outreach.
Our goal is 6000 jars of peanut butter and jelly.
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.
Brent Perry (center) is pictured with Anton Busuttil and Tyler Haksluoto of GM. GM hosted a golf tournament at Towhee Golf Club on April 29, raising $23,000 in support of The Well Outreach. Thanks to all the sponsors and participants who made the event a success!
The Well Outreach was so blessed to be the recipient of donations collected by five units in the Natchez Trace Scouts District. In February, over 11,000 pounds of food were collected and delivered by Scouts BSA Troops 828 and 1855 and Cub Scout Packs 351, 417, and 1225. That’s amazing!
What an amazing young man!! Nevaeh Barding did a diaper drive for The Well Outreach and collected 2,928 diapers for us!
Thank you to the “Hype” Team from the Nashville Youth Theatre for serving with us! We appreciate you!!
Thanks to the Battle Creek High School Football Cheerleaders for coming to help us put together 200 Jetpacks!
On Saturday, April 21 our Mobile Food Pantry at Columbia Central High School was sponsored and staffed by our wonderful partners at Farm Bureau!
More than 150 volunteers joined us for our annual Volunteer Celebration event, which was held on May 11 out at Goldman Ranch in Hampshire. Guests enjoyed live music, dinner and gifts of gratitude from The Well Outreach.
Our Savior Lutheran Church in Spring Hill blessed us with a check for $14,000 in April to help us cover food expenses. We are so grateful to have them as one of our generous church partners!
Credits:
A quarterly newsletter of The Well Outreach