The Arnold Air Force Base Junior Force Council Booster Club was unable to conduct its annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Program in 2020, but this year its members rallied together to get the word out and collect food items.
Altogether, 62 food baskets were collected, making 2021 the most successful year for the JFCBC Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, which provides food baskets for Coffee County families in need of Thanksgiving meals. This beats the previous record of 51 food baskets donated in 2018.
Collection boxes were placed at several of the buildings on base so those interested could donate nonperishable food items for the drive.
“The Junior Force Council is genuinely grateful to Team AEDC for participating in this year’s food drive,” said Abigail Huyler, JFCBC treasurer. “It’s been awesome to see this kind of support from our community.”
The Thanksgiving Food Basket Program effort at Arnold has taken place for many years, getting its start when members of the Coffee County Backpack Program for Deerfield Elementary School reached out to JFCBC members about collecting food items for the holiday.
The backpack program is a local charity providing food for students who may not have provisions during tough economic times. Through this program, children in need of food receive a backpack with enough food to feed them through the weekend, each weekend during the school year. As an extension of the backpack program, the Thanksgiving Food Basket Program is meant to provide enough food to prepare a Thanksgiving meal, including a turkey, for the child’s family.
The Junior Force Council Booster Club provides the junior workforce at Arnold with professional development opportunities and serves as a conduit between the junior workforce and senior leadership.
Disclaimer: The Junior Force Council Booster Club is a private organization which is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and has no governmental status.
Photo: Reggie Floyd, Arnold Engineering Development Complex team member, carries baskets of food items Nov. 19, 2021, donated as part of the Junior Force Council Booster Club’s Thanksgiving Food Basket program at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. Five cars were loaded with the 62 baskets collected and then taken to Deerfield Elementary. (U.S. Air Force photo by Deidre Moon)
