INTRODUCTION

CalvaryCares Mission is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, established in March 2022 to serve residents of Unicoi County. The mission operates out of the old VFW building at 648 S. Elm Ave. The team consists of over 20 dedicated members from local churches in our community who work together to support the local community. The mission is fully funded by donations from local business partners, church members, other churches, and community members. In addition, CalvaryCares Mission partners with Second Harvest Food Bank, which enables them to purchase and receive high-quality food items. The mission is also recognized as a resource for the local school system

Services Provided

CalvaryCares Mission offers food and clothing to those in need on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The mission provides grocery store experience, allowing each family to select the foods they prefer, which helps to reduce waste. For residents unable to visit, the mission team members deliver food directly to their homes. In emergency situations, families are met at the mission by team members. The mission also extends its services by delivering food to local jails and nursing homes.

Community Impact

Throughout 2022, CalvaryCares Mission served a total of 4653 households and 12,021 indivduals. The breakdown by age groups includes:  2708 individuals aged 0-17, 5876 individuals aged 18-59, 3438 individuals aged 60 and older.

The average amount spent per household was $20.68, and the average per individual was $8.00. These figures do not account for the first 11 giveaways; estimates for the total impact including those events are approximately 5027 households served at an average of $19.13 per household, and 12,703 individuals served at an average of $7.57 per individual.