June 2012 Legend: Joyce White

We are often defined by our heritage. For Joyce White, feeding the hungry is as much a hereditary trait as the color of her eyes. During the Great Depression, her grandmother provided a warm meal and safe haven to hungry hobos. She painted her door to let others know that they were welcome. In that same tradition, Joyce, a retired school teacher and founder of Food for Friends, was named the RecognizeGood Legend for June 2012 thanks to her tireless efforts to serve and feed the homebound members of the Bartlett community.

Together with a few friends and volunteers, Joyce cooks and delivers meals to over 120 friends in need every Friday. She also delivers more sustainable groceries during the week. Equally important, she provides a social outlet for many that they might not otherwise have. “She’s the epitome, to me, of the two most important of the Ten Commandments – the First and the Second. I don’t think anyone else that I know loves their neighbor and treats them as herself more than Joyce White,” said Reverend John Roark, Pastor of the First Methodist Church of Bartlett. Speaking at a ceremony honoring Ms. White at the Bartlett City Hall Roark declared, “If you want to see a Christian in action, follow Joyce around for one day”.

Just two years ago, Joyce began cooking for a few friends whose limited mobility required them to rely on easy-to-prepare food for all or most of their nutritional needs. Many of these friends are over 70 and have lived in the same tiny field homes most of their lives, leaving them beyond the reach of most social programs. Today, Joyce works closely with local farmers, churches, civic groups, medical and health organizations to meet the needs of her growing operation.