Four Russian leaders arrived in the area Saturday and are staying through Sunday. The delegation is visiting Oak Ridge and Knoxville in hopes of adapting the “Second Harvest Food Bank: Hunger Relief Concept” project to Obninsk — Oak Ridge’s sister city — and other Russian cities that would benefit from developing a similar program for feeding people in need.
America’s Second Harvest Food Bank program addresses the problem of domestic hunger by distributing donated food and grocery products to low-income people who might otherwise go hungry. The program recycles properly processed foods from local resources, such as grocery stores and restaurants, thus saving the food that otherwise would have been wasted.
Their problems are very similar to what we have here,” said Tom Row, one of several locals who is working with the delegates during their stay.
Early in the week, the visitors were at several places in Oak Ridge, learning about Second Harvest and other food programs.
On Wednesday, the delegation visited Second Harvest Food Bank, the Love Kitchen, the Knoxville Mission and Point of Hope. “We went to several places where they have either kitchens or pantries that utilize food from Second Harvest,” Row explained.
During the various workshops, seminars, and events, the delegates have met and interacted with several individuals working in the field of food banking, which will facilitate future collaboration and an exchange of ideas.
On Thursday, the visitors had a “relaxing day” with a visit to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
“They got to see our snow, what there is of it up here, and the leaves are just gorgeous,” Row told The Oak Ridger by telephone, while he said the group was looking at snow atop Mount LeConte.
After their visit to the Smoky Mountains during the day, the delegates spent some time Thursday night at Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville.
The visiting delegates are Oleg Kolesnikov, founder and owner of the discount store chain Rodnoy LLC; Darya Kostina, general director, Prod Industria LLC; Father Aleksey Polyakov of St. Boris and Gleb Laity; and Yelena Kornilova, director, Municipal Enterprise’s Municipal Veteran's Club. Natalya Osmakova, programmer, St. Petersburg State University, will accompany the group as a facilitator.
Scott Fraker/Staff
Pressley, left, speaks to Kolesnikow, right, with the help of
facilitator Osmakova, center.
Scott Fraker/Staff
Russian delegates from the Open World program visit Food City to learn
about Second Harvest Food Bank. Pictured are Natalya Osmakova, from
left, Oleg Kolesnikow, Father Aleksey Polyakov, Darya
Kostina, Yelena Kornilova, Jeff Pressley, assistant manager of Food
City, and Tom Row.
Scott Fraker/Staff
Gail Root with Second Harvest Food Bank, left, and Darya Kostina, a
restaurant owner from Obninsk, pay a visit to Oak Ridge’s Food City
store. Russian delegates were interested in learning more about how East
Tennesseans feed people in need.