
The cause was serious, but the mood was festive at the Wine & Shine event which raised $60,000 for Volunteer Ministry Center. From left, Megan Venable, Benny Smith, and Gay Lyons yuck it up!
Volunteer Ministry Center had another sold-out Don Sproles Wine & Shine fundraiser to support the ongoing operations of the “housing first” program that combats homelessness in our community.
Although the event, which features both a wine tasting and a moonshine tasting, is always entertaining, the cause is super serious. Every year more than 9,000 individuals access homeless services in Knoxville. As a downtown dweller, I see the problem every day. But it’s not just an urban problem anymore. You see apparently unhoused people all over town now — from Bearden to deep west Knoxville and the other suburbs.
Volunteer Ministry Center’s philosophy is that people need to be provided with housing before they can address the problems that caused them to be in that situation in the first place, whether it’s mental health or substance misuse.
The Wine & Shine event, in its 13th year, is named in honor of the late restaurateur Don Sproles who, along with his wife, Karen, founded the popular Lunchbox cafes. Don was a longtime board member and supporter of Volunteer Ministry Center. Continue reading