As each person opened their heart to give, the next person gave even more. Sharing makes us all richer. -- ”Stone Soup” by Jon J. Muth

Sumner County’s 23rd Blessing Box was recently installed at the Hendersonville Public Library. 

Those 23 boxes = 23 opportunities to give, 23 locations a family in need can find help, and 23 ways to love our community, neighbor to neighbor, one box of mac-and-cheese at a time. 

The Blessing Box Initiative is a nationwide movement for folks in a community to supply shelf-stable food, hygiene supplies and baby products to families and individuals in need. The boxes are typically placed on private property and maintained by residents who donate various items as needed. 

The recent addition is the first Blessing Box to be installed in Hendersonville, thanks to the efforts of April Riddle, Founder and President of Community Unity, and Trisha Russo with Sumner County Blessing Boxes.

“People have this idea, because Hendersonville is an affluent community, that there aren't also food insecurity issues here as well,” says April. “When the cost of living goes up, as it has, the family food budget is the first to get cut.”

Earlier this year, April pegged the library as a possible location in Hendersonville and soon received a resounding approval from Director Alycia Neighbors.

“I believe Hendersonville is a very charitable and giving community,” states April. ”I also believe people who visit the box in the library might find a sense of community there. They have so many programs for all ages!”

Due to limitations on the library grounds, the Blessing Box is the first to be placed indoors at any location and, because of that, their typical box style wasn’t going to work. April enlisted the help of craftsman Gary Saddler to refinish and repurpose an older, donated cabinet into the beautiful display they installed. Busy Bee Printing donated the signage. 

“On August 24, we dedicated the new box to the Lord and our community because we believe that every good and perfect gift comes from above,” April says. 

There are three additional boxes, built by parishioners of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, currently awaiting locations. 

“My hope is that when they come in looking for peanut butter and jelly, they find a whole lot more than that,” adds April.

For more information on where to locate Blessing Boxes in Sumner County, visit their Facebook page here.