Knoxville preschools donate 2,220 cans to local charities to help combat food insecurity
December 9, 2022, 8:06 p.m.

Students at Primrose School of Farragut, Primrose School of Hardin Valley and Primrose School of West Knoxville are doing their part to help food banks fill their pantries through the Caring and Giving Food Drive, the school’s annual, experiential approach to a traditional food drive. Students perform age-appropriate household chores to earn allowance money, which is then used to purchase canned goods and nonperishables for underserved children and families. More than 70,000 children at over 475 Primrose schools nationwide will be participating in the hands-on food drive, which also weaves in lessons of compassion, generosity and giving without expectation, which are the cornerstones of Primrose Schools’ Balanced Learning®.

KNOXVILLE -- As we celebrate the holidays amid a time of high inflation and continued supply chain challenges, most conversations center around how these issues will impact holiday gift-giving. But what about food security?

According to nonprofit Feeding America, inflation and supply chain issues are greatly affecting food banks, with 70 percent of their members reporting decreased food donations while operating costs have risen 95 percent. That is why Primrose School of Farragut, Primrose School of Hardin Valley and Primrose School of West Knoxville donated 2,220 canned goods to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee which will support feeding east Tennesseans experiencing hunger. This donation is a part of Primrose’s Caring & Giving initiative which encourages children to complete age-appropriate household chores for allowance money to buy canned goods. This initiative fosters giving without expectation, a key component of the Primrose curriculum.

“Experience-based lessons of service and compassion are woven throughout our curriculum, which guides our teachers and families as they nurture good citizens in the classroom, in the home, and in the community,” said Jo Kirchner, CEO, Primrose Schools. “We believe by educating children to be service-minded and to give without expectation, we are working together toward a brighter future of caring, community-oriented citizens.”