Marathon Music Works Food Drive

photo taken by Rose

Hello Nashville! I love seeing music and community come together for a good cause! I know the political climate is very appalling right now. I just wanted to share something that will bring a little warmth and help restore some faith in humanity.

On Friday, I was able to leave work early and drive down to Marathon Music Works and help contribute to Second Harvest Food Bank. I found out about this through Marathon Music Works’ Instagram post and was overjoyed about their involvement with the community. When you donate, you can enter a raffle for a chance to win tickets to a show! I had no idea about that until I got down there. Marathon Music Works is still accepting food donations till the end of this month. On Fridays, Marathon Music Works is open from 10 am to 4 pm; I would suggest emailing them for drop-off times because they might be available during the week, but you can always donate to Second Harvest.

Second Harvest Food Bank has been helping people in Middle Tennessee since 1978! They are the largest nonprofit and hunger relief organization in the country. Second Harvest serves 46 counties across the state of Tennessee. This organization was designed to collect food that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Food from grocery stores and even farmers is collected to make sure our community is fed. Non-perishable items are recommended for donation. Any contribution helps those with food insecurity. You can also click this link to find out more and resources near you https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org/find-resources/

Photo by Rose

I am a concert enthusiast; my taste in music is eclectic. Going to concerts is very special because they help me reset and become inspired. Marathon Music Works is the second venue I have attended since moving here. I saw Crosses on 2/25/24 (which is a side project formed by Chino Moreno from Deftones, which is my favorite band). I remember being filled with excitement and waiting in line, anticipating the layout of the venue and fell in love once I walked through the doors. So, seeing a venue I love help out with the community made me have even more respect for Marathon Music Works. Also up until recently I was utilizing food banks to help provide for my family so this really hits home for me.

I was married for 4 years, and during those four years, I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom. However, the marriage did not work out; I went through my savings spending it on a divorce lawyer and bills I was forced to pay with no income to replenish my finances. I moved from Florida with two children and my dog, Gizmo, to live with a family member here in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Not being employed for four years really put a damper on looking for ways to earn income. I was determined to get back into the workforce no matter what the job was. I really wanted to steer away from the restaurant industry because I was burnt out from it. Ironically enough, that is where an opportunity met me with open arms. However, one job wasn’t enough, so I started working a second job because daycare and living expenses aren’t cheap. Then that job didn’t work out, and I needed to move out. I was delivering food until I could find something that would work with my children’s schedule. I tried applying for assistance, and every time I was denied. Frantically looking for work and hitting every dead end was immensely overwhelming. I couldn’t give up; no matter how hard it was to stay afloat, I always pushed my limits until I pretty much pushed myself to the edge. The last time I was denied assistance, I cried right there in the DHS office. I was only doing Uber Eats and Door Dash and I was not on any type of assistance, so I was perplexed at the fact that my children and I didn’t qualify for food stamps or any type of assistance. That is when a DHS worker handed me a paper with resources from food pantries, hot meals, clothing, and other ways to obtain necessities. That is when I became very aware of the community and the helpful resources they provide for families. I just want you to know that you’ll need to put your pride aside. Something I’ve learned is that it is okay to accept help when you need it. Not being able to do something isn’t a forever thing; it’s only temporary. As long as you keep moving forward, you will be okay. I promise you everything will be okay; you know why? Because you want better for yourself. When you want better for yourself, you’ll strive to do better. It won’t happen overnight; please be kind and patient with yourself. Remember that building a strong foundation takes time. Doors will close, but other doors will open, and when a door closes think of it as you are being redirected to another door that is meant for you. Please try to remain optimistic, especially during tough times. Remaining optimistic and positive has really gotten me through tough times. Especially when you have children because I’m not just responsible for myself; they depend on me; failure isn’t an option.

I remember my first time going to a food bank, and honestly, I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and nervous. I guess that was the pride echoing in my head. “Am I going to be judged? How does this work? Was it a bad move to bring my children? Should I have come when they were at school?” All of these questions raced through my head, but once those food pantry doors opened, I was met with a smile and a warm greeting. The only question asked was, “How many people are in your family?” and of course, my eyes welled up with tears as I said thank you. I guess getting over that first interaction and it being a good experience allowed myself to accept the help for my family and me. So please, if you’re reading this and are in need of food or any assistance, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed. Look into your community, call churches, community centers for help, or stop by your local DHS office to help direct you for any type of assistance. There are still good people out there helping others, and that is a beautiful thing. Thank you for reading this, take care and stay weird.

Special Thanks to Marathon Music Works, Second Harvest Food Bank and Drew from Marathon Music Works for communicating drop off times and for a wonderful chat on Friday.