History of the Coalition

In 1982, Andy McBride of First United Methodist Church and Ed Congdon of Trinity Presbyterian Church met with Jim Pearce and others at First Baptist Church to discuss a vital need in Henderson County—food assistance for county residents in crisis. The Henderson County Hunger Coalition took shape from those discussions.

Fifteen representatives from various denominations comprised the original Hunger Coalition Executive Board.

The first action by the Coalition was raising funds through a “Hunger Walk” to partially subsidize several nonprofit charitable agencies providing food assistance in the community. Agencies were asked to send applications justifying their needs. Applications were studied and approved. Grants were made to each agency based on what was raised by the walk. The first Hunger Walk was held in 1982 on a dirt and gravel road around Lake Osceola, raising around $20,000.