Description
The Good Shepherd Center, formerly the Monroe County Ministerial Benevolence Fund, was created to minister to people in crisis; specifically, people who were experiencing sudden or unexpected hardship caused by insufficient funds. The support services that are rendered today are offered to any resident of Monroe County who needs help and comes to the Center to request food, clothing, or financial aid for utility bills. The Good Shepherd Center is a volunteer organization comprised mainly of residents living within Monroe County. The entity is properly registered with the State of Tennessee as a nonprofit organization and under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Good Shepherd Center currently provides food to over 2,100 people per month, based on the 2012 annual average. Approximately 24,000 pounds of food are issued per month. Three articles of clothing are furnished to each person per household per month. All clothing is hung according to size, and sorted for orderly display and easy selection. Clients are also allotted five miscellaneous items, such as shoes, bedding, dishes, toys, etc., per month. Through partnerships with area utilities companies, we are able to offer $50 vouchers per year per family for utility payments. Vouchers exceeding $50 up to $100 are issued at the discretion of the Intake Counselor and the Director. This is only used to prevent disruption of service.
