Nashville, TN – After visiting Scott County to serve lunch to foster families at the Children’s Center of the Cumberlands, Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee released the following statement on her initiative reaching Tennessee’s 15 economically distressed counties.
“To see firsthand the dedication behind the nonprofits and community leaders of our distressed counties to bettering the lives of their neighbors has been a great honor,” said Lee.
“We are beyond grateful to have served alongside those that serve. This is just the beginning of our commitment to rural Tennessee, and we look forward to continuing our work in the years to come,” stated Lee.
Since launching Tennessee Serves in May, Lee has participated in service projects or volunteer efforts in every economically distressed county in Tennessee. Distressed counties are defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission’s index of county economic status which categorizes counties nationwide based on their three-year average unemployment rate, per capita market income and poverty rate.
