As a partner with Second Harvest Food Bank, KnoxTNToday had the honor of attending the launch of the A.R. Johnson Legacy Society on Tuesday evening hosted by Second Harvest Food Bank at the East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum.
The room filled with friends and supporters of Second Harvest to celebrate and recognize Rick Johnson for his unwavering commitment, leadership and advocacy for East Tennesseans facing hunger.
The program was excellent with the front of the room displaying an engaging chronological pictorial of the Second Harvest history.
Each speaker from ETHS CEO Dr. Warren Dockter (Dr. Dockter), Kristi Rule, Second Harvest CEO Elaine Streno, and Rick Johnson spoke passionately about the food needs in our area and mission of Second Harvest Food Bank.
Streno recounted her 32 years with Second Harvest, beginning in 1993 with a staff of four. She credited the generosity of East Tennesseans to the expansion of the current feeding programs from 3 million pounds of food distribution in 1994 to the 27 million pounds today equating to 25 million meals.
Elaine Streno with two of the many charts of Second Harvest timeline displayed across the venue
Although she admits to usually needing notes for quoting accurate numbers, she adamantly told her marketing team that when it came to speaking about Rick Johnson, “I got this!”
Streno recounted how Johnson spearheaded the 2001 campaign to raise the $7M needed for their current building by pulling in other Knoxville leaders to influence the fundraising that resulted in the current location in Maryville.
“We wouldn’t be there without Rick Johnson. They raised the money for the building, the cooler-freezer, and the building is paid off. Rick led the charge.”
Introducing Johnson, she continued: “He is the most humble, compassionate, caring person you will ever meet and it’s not just Second Harvest.”
Johnson then spoke to our group about his vision for the new initiative, first addressing the importance of the organization’s mission. “I have a deep and abiding belief that because we are meant to live in community and to care for each other, we are meant to feed each other when one of us is hungry. We are not to ask why that happened or anything other than how can I help you to be fed. I have been reminded too as a much younger person, ‘What are you here for?’ and I think part of what we are all here for is to care for each other.”
Johnson said as the need to feed increases, he realized how legacy giving through estate planning was one avenue to ensure stability of funding.
The new initiative, A. R. Johnson Legacy Society, is being established to provide a lasting endowment to ensure the alleviation of food insecurity for generations to come.
PYA Waltman Capital of Knoxville has partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee in the launch of the A.R. Johnson Legacy Society. Waltman has collaborated with its team on some educational materials, and will be doing workshops in a few months focused on simple and effective ways to give during your life and legacy planning.
We will continue to keep the readers updated on information regarding the A. R. Johnson Society.
(I was fortunate to spend quite a bit of the evening with donor and former Vol announcer, Bob Kesling, who told several interesting stories which he has promised to share with KTT readers in the future. Look for a new feature coming soon!)
KnoxTNToday is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and you can too through donations or volunteering as an individual or a group.
Follow Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee on Facebook and Instagram.
