Eddie Jack Miller’s legacy continues to live on through the efforts of Elizabethton and Carter County community-based organizations.

East Tennessee Christian Home & Academy (ETCHA) was recently able to recognize the efforts of the late businessman by presenting a plaque to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, creators of the Eddie Jack Miller grant program. Second Harvest awarded the academy with a grant through the program for $6,000 to improve the facility’s walk-in freezer on campus.

“This is a show of appreciation to Second Harvest and also to the Eddie Jack Miller grant program,” said Ron Marvel, director of development at ETCHA. “This funding enables us to get our walk-in freezer back up and running. These monies would have been hard to come by without the help of Second Harvest.”

Seeing a need, Second Harvest was quick to spring into action for the facility. Funds from the program allowed ETCHA to replace the compressor on a 30-year-old walk-in freezer — which goes to assist feeding roughly 15 individuals on site.

Helping out programs like the academy is something the late Miller would be about, according to Second Harvest Development Director Ann Rhem.

“Mr. Miller was a resident of this community and business owner for over 40 years before passing away in 2015,” Rhem said. “This grant process came as the result of a bequest from Mr. Miller, who wanted these funds to help food banks in the Elizabethton area. This is a program that is able to leave a lasting legacy for Eddie Jack Miller.”

Along with ETCHA, Second Harvest has been able to provide funding to other local entities with the grant, including First Christian Church ($2,200 for two serving carts, hand truck, refrigerator and freezer), Heartland Fellowship ($750 for a freezer) and Assistance and Resource Ministries ($10,000 for a used truck and trailer). Overall, Second Harvest has presented nearly $19,000 from the grant program to local entities.

“Second Harvest does so much for the folks in the community,” Marvel said. “We appreciate everything that they do. Our food budget would go up by thousands if it wasn’t for their help. That’s another reason why we wanted to present the organization with this plaque. We want people to know about the resources they provide and what they do for Northeast Tennessee.”

Rhem added it’s organizations like ETCHA that Second Harvest enjoys partnering with to make sure those in the community do not go without.

For more information about Second Harvest, visit www.netfoodbank.org or call (423) 279-0430. Individuals can also learn more about the academy by visiting the East Tennessee Christian Home & Academy Facebook page.