Compassion Ministries is an all volunteer outreach based in Knoxville, Tennessee, originally established to feed local hungry people.

As the ministry has grown, it has reached out to people who are hungry in East Tennessee and in specific cases of need to Kentucky, Louisiana, and Eastern North Carolina.

The Feeding the Hungry area found above describes many of the people helped.

News Update:

Food Distribution

A Mobile Drive Through Food Pantry is coming to Fentress County Fairgrounds in Jamestown, Tennessee on October 19th.

Mobile Drive Through Food Pantries are open from 10:00 AM EDT until noon. Vehicles will be directed to line up to receive food boxes that include fresh food as well as shelf-stable canned goods.

Have your car trunk empty so that volunteers may put your food in the car for you.
Please DO NOT EXIT your vehicle unless asked to do so to open the trunk.

You will be asked for the following information:
✓ Name, address, phone number
✓ Number of people in household between ages 0-17, 18-59, and 60+
Please have this information ready so the line will move quickly & smoothly.

Other Services Available: Medical Mobile Trailer (staffed by Walgreens), United Healthcare & Save the Babies Mobile Trailer offering diapers, wipes and baby formula.

Our next Local Food Pantry will be on Thursday, October 10th at Cornerstone Church in Farragut. It will be drive though from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST. (Please bring some form of name and address identification!)

Tenative upcoming Mobile Pantry dates and locations for 2024:

November 16 - Roane County
December 7 - Monroe County

For 2023 and going forward, mobile pantry reports may be found on this Facebook link.

Union County - September 2023

Saturday, September 9, was a blessing to the community and would not have been possible without the generous hearts of our volunteers and donors, who gave their time to help those in need. Compassion Ministries arrived at Union County alongside Save the Babies, United Healthcare, Second Harvest Food Bank at East Tennessee, and Walgreens for Saturday's free drive-thru pantry. We had volunteers from all over, including Black Oak Baptist and Grace and Glory Church. Because of your generosity, we were able to feed 385 families. Save the Babies gave out 1,500 diapers, 28 packs of wipes as well as cribs, and formula. Walgreens made it so flu shots were available through their Medical Mobile trailer. We want to thank Troy and Jamie Reid at Matthew 25:35, who provided hot meals for the volunteers and our food pantry recipients, as well as Dwight with United Healthcare, who helped sponsor Saturday’s event. We cannot thank everyone enough for all their time and dedication! The Lord has provided!

A small sample of what is on facebook from Union County:

Crossville - August 2023

A small sample of what is on facebook from Crossville:

Bean Station - August 2023

A small sample of what is on facebook from Bean Station:

Scott County - July 2023

A small sample of what is on facebook from Scott County:

Tellico Plains High School - December 2022

~Story and Photos by Gary Mauldin

It was well before dawn when the first people settled in to wait. Soon, others joined, and the line began to form in the dark and fog on that Saturday morning. It would be hours before the Food Pantry distribution started, but for many during this holiday season, the food was a necessity. Today would be the difference between a holiday meal with family or another day of making do with too little. Missing out was not an option.

Up the hill on the grounds of Tellico Plains High School, activity was also well underway. Compassion Ministries had organized this food distribution. Tables were being erected to form 2 lanes for the cars to pass through. The food was being moved from trucks and vans to tables, some pallets stored directly on the ground. Volunteers took up their stations and began to get organized for the flood of participants to arrive. These events don’t just happen. There is a lot of preparation and work involved.
Workers move pallets of food into place, getting ready for the start.

By this point, the sun was up, and the fog had lifted. The line of cars wound down the hill from the school all the way to Highway 68 and then continued the shoulder of the road to near the junction with Highway 39. “Getting the highway cleared is my first priority right now,” declared Robin Rolland, the organizer of this event for Compassion Ministries.

With the food preparation underway, Robin set her focus on the traffic. Two lanes were formed up the hill to the school. Then, a line of cars was set up to snake around the parking lot to free up more space. Finally, the traffic disruption was minimized.

The ramifications of the traffic jam were significant. This was going to be a big event, and a lot more people were going to be here than planned. “We might have to tell some people that they are welcome to wait, but we can’t promise them any food,” Robin told the volunteers. It was a worrisome situation, but it was what there was to deal with.
The number of cars in line was much more than expected.

Right on time, Pastor Steve led the volunteers in prayer and the food distribution began. There were families piled into vans and mothers there by themselves. There were newborns, only a few days old, and quite a few folks that had lived many, many more years than that. Some that came were healthy. Some were clearly not so fortunate. But they came and they came. Their numbers indicating the level of need in the community.


The smell of grilling hamburgers and hot dogs filled the air as Troy provided a good lunch for the volunteers. And as the cars moved through, the need to warn people that there may be no food left was delayed. Somehow, food was going further than planned. Empty food boxes began to line the drive. Empty pallets, previously stacked head high with food, were moved aside. The volunteers kept loading food, toiletries, diapers, and other essentials into car trunks, pickup beds, and back seats. But at every check, it seemed there would be enough food to make it.

Volunteers from “Save The Babies” distributed over 10,000 diapers to mothers.

After over 3 hours, the line of cars had dwindled. Every single family had been served. The plan for 450 families had been well exceeded. By the end, 550 families had been provided for, enough food for about 2300 people. The food sufficed; the volunteers persevered. It was a day that exceeded all expectations.

Nobody predicted that so many would show, and it is such a true blessing that there was food for everybody that needed it. Robin summarized it, “The miracle of this day is the work and caring of the volunteers, Second Harvest of East Tennessee, Christ Covenant Church, Community Church of Tellico Village, and Church of Grace and Glory. Without the love and dedication of our partners this day would have been impossible. Instead, there are over 2,000 people with nutritious food. God’s hand was here today.”


Y12 FCU Gives Foundation: What a tremendous blessing we received from Y12 FCU Gives Foundation. Thank you for helping us to feed children throughout East Tennessee.



Southeast Bank of Farragut is continuing sponsoring our feeding the children ministry (Backpack Program)! Thank you!

If you would like to help Compassion Ministries' mission, there are several ways available:

Volunteers are needed for mobile pantries.

Donations and critical to our mission's success. A Donation of $25 will provide 15 lbs. of food (12 meals) to needy people. Please consider a regular monthly or one time donation.