A Ministry Born from Faith and Fur: The Story of Nothing but the Truth

Nothing but the Truth (NBTT) didn’t start in a boardroom — it began with a dog named Truth and a calling from God.
In 2010, NBTT’s founder Scarlett Rigsby went on a mission trip to Kentucky, where she witnessed a community rally around children struggling with food insecurity. The experience stayed with her, leading her to ask a simple yet powerful question: Could we do something like this in Gwinnett County?
“I met with a Gwinnett County school counselor who’s now on [NBTT’s] board,” Scarlett shared. “I told her about the program in Kentucky and asked, ‘Do you think there’s a need here?’ And she said, ‘Absolutely.’ I asked, ‘Can we pilot this program and try it?’
“And so we did. In November of 2009, we started the food ministry. That was our first outreach.”
What began with one school and 15 students has since expanded to 48 schools, serving up to 1,500 children weekly. But before expanding schools and community outreach, NBTT started with something even simpler: offering love and connection through Scarlett’s dog, Truth.
Truth wasn’t just a pet; she was a bridge.
Whether visiting children in low-income apartments, comforting those going through hard times or simply making the ministry more approachable, Truth helped open doors to serve people both tangibly and spiritually.
“There’s something about a dog’s unconditional love — no expectations, no pressure — that makes people feel safe, seen and valued,” said Scarlett.
This spirit of connection and care became the foundation of NBTT’s approach. They didn’t just want to provide food — they wanted to build relationships, create community and nurture faith. That’s why they created Life Groups, small gatherings focused on spiritual nourishment.
“We have dinner together, the kids do activities and crafts and then we have a devotion time,” Scarlett shared. “We set it up like a traditional ‘family time,’ as we do everything together.”
Every initiative NBTT has launched has been born from prayerfully identifying a need in the community.
“One of our board members is a reading specialist at one of the local elementary schools,” Scarlett explained. “Many of our kids are bilingual, but they were behind the English reading level for their age. During COVID, these students got even further behind.
“So, we started a reading comprehension club to bring in our kids and try to get them caught up to their grade level because that is the key to their education.”
As NBTT expanded, they saw God work in powerful ways — especially when it came to provisions for their growing needs.
In 2014, they desperately needed to partner with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, but the process usually took months. One evening, as volunteers gathered at Truth’s Place to pack food bags, God provided in an unexpected way.
“I can tell you exactly where I was standing in Truth’s Place when I was having this conversation about needing the Food Bank with the two ladies that were running the food ministry,” Scarlett recalled.
“That night, we had a group coming to help make food bags for us. A couple arrived early, and we were talking, showing them around. I glanced at the man’s jacket, and it said: ‘Atlanta Community Food Bank.’ I asked him if he worked there, and he said he’d just retired.
“So I said, ‘We were just talking about how we are trying to become partners with them.’
“He said, ‘Let me see what I can do.’ He made a couple of phone calls. Within two weeks, we were partners with the Atlanta Community Food Bank!”
Once that partnership was in place, another challenge quickly emerged — they didn’t have enough storage space. Again, God provided.
“Our new neighbors had an unused office building across the parking lot, which they allowed us to convert into a warehouse,” Scarlett shared.
“That was in May 2019. We renovated it over the summer, opened it in August of 2019, and then COVID hit in 2020. We had all of that space for all of the food for our community during the pandemic.”
Through every challenge, prayer has been NBTT’s anchor. It’s how they’ve found volunteers, secured partnerships and expanded their reach.
“We pray that the Lord would put this ministry on the heart of those who can help us do what He wants us to do. That’s our main prayer. It’s our lifeline. Ninety percent of the people who come in to serve with us are a direct answer to that prayer,” Scarlett said.
Beyond physical provisions, Scarlett and her team are praying for a deeper impact — one that moves beyond simply serving to truly encouraging the people they meet.
“I want us to shift our mindset to encourage, rather than just serve people,” Scarlett said. “We do a lot of things together, and I don’t look at them as somebody I’m serving; I look at them as friends that we’re encouraging, and they encourage us.
“I pray that the Lord can help me to see as He sees. If I can do that, I think it’ll be what He wants.”
‘God, give us Your vision for people.’
That is the heart of Nothing but the Truth — not just meeting physical needs, but meeting people where they are, reminding them of their value and encouraging them in faith, hope and love.
—-
Learn more about Nothing But the Truth and how to support its ministry.
A Ministry Born from Faith and Fur: The Story of Nothing but the Truth

Nothing but the Truth (NBTT) didn’t start in a boardroom — it began with a dog named Truth and a calling from God.
In 2010, NBTT’s founder Scarlett Rigsby went on a mission trip to Kentucky, where she witnessed a community rally around children struggling with food insecurity. The experience stayed with her, leading her to ask a simple yet powerful question: Could we do something like this in Gwinnett County?
“I met with a Gwinnett County school counselor who’s now on [NBTT’s] board,” Scarlett shared. “I told her about the program in Kentucky and asked, ‘Do you think there’s a need here?’ And she said, ‘Absolutely.’ I asked, ‘Can we pilot this program and try it?’
“And so we did. In November of 2009, we started the food ministry. That was our first outreach.”
What began with one school and 15 students has since expanded to 48 schools, serving up to 1,500 children weekly. But before expanding schools and community outreach, NBTT started with something even simpler: offering love and connection through Scarlett’s dog, Truth.
Truth wasn’t just a pet; she was a bridge.
Whether visiting children in low-income apartments, comforting those going through hard times or simply making the ministry more approachable, Truth helped open doors to serve people both tangibly and spiritually.
“There’s something about a dog’s unconditional love — no expectations, no pressure — that makes people feel safe, seen and valued,” said Scarlett.
This spirit of connection and care became the foundation of NBTT’s approach. They didn’t just want to provide food — they wanted to build relationships, create community and nurture faith. That’s why they created Life Groups, small gatherings focused on spiritual nourishment.
“We have dinner together, the kids do activities and crafts and then we have a devotion time,” Scarlett shared. “We set it up like a traditional ‘family time,’ as we do everything together.”
Every initiative NBTT has launched has been born from prayerfully identifying a need in the community.
“One of our board members is a reading specialist at one of the local elementary schools,” Scarlett explained. “Many of our kids are bilingual, but they were behind the English reading level for their age. During COVID, these students got even further behind.
“So, we started a reading comprehension club to bring in our kids and try to get them caught up to their grade level because that is the key to their education.”
As NBTT expanded, they saw God work in powerful ways — especially when it came to provisions for their growing needs.
In 2014, they desperately needed to partner with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, but the process usually took months. One evening, as volunteers gathered at Truth’s Place to pack food bags, God provided in an unexpected way.
“I can tell you exactly where I was standing in Truth’s Place when I was having this conversation about needing the Food Bank with the two ladies that were running the food ministry,” Scarlett recalled.
“That night, we had a group coming to help make food bags for us. A couple arrived early, and we were talking, showing them around. I glanced at the man’s jacket, and it said: ‘Atlanta Community Food Bank.’ I asked him if he worked there, and he said he’d just retired.
“So I said, ‘We were just talking about how we are trying to become partners with them.’
“He said, ‘Let me see what I can do.’ He made a couple of phone calls. Within two weeks, we were partners with the Atlanta Community Food Bank!”
Once that partnership was in place, another challenge quickly emerged — they didn’t have enough storage space. Again, God provided.
“Our new neighbors had an unused office building across the parking lot, which they allowed us to convert into a warehouse,” Scarlett shared.
“That was in May 2019. We renovated it over the summer, opened it in August of 2019, and then COVID hit in 2020. We had all of that space for all of the food for our community during the pandemic.”
Through every challenge, prayer has been NBTT’s anchor. It’s how they’ve found volunteers, secured partnerships and expanded their reach.
“We pray that the Lord would put this ministry on the heart of those who can help us do what He wants us to do. That’s our main prayer. It’s our lifeline. Ninety percent of the people who come in to serve with us are a direct answer to that prayer,” Scarlett said.
Beyond physical provisions, Scarlett and her team are praying for a deeper impact — one that moves beyond simply serving to truly encouraging the people they meet.
“I want us to shift our mindset to encourage, rather than just serve people,” Scarlett said. “We do a lot of things together, and I don’t look at them as somebody I’m serving; I look at them as friends that we’re encouraging, and they encourage us.
“I pray that the Lord can help me to see as He sees. If I can do that, I think it’ll be what He wants.”
‘God, give us Your vision for people.’
That is the heart of Nothing but the Truth — not just meeting physical needs, but meeting people where they are, reminding them of their value and encouraging them in faith, hope and love.
—-
Learn more about Nothing But the Truth and how to support its ministry.