SouthEast Bank bolsters hunger relief efforts with $110,000 donation to Second Harvest

Community commitment shines as SouthEast Bank supports vital programs combating food insecurity in East Tennessee

Eliane Sterno (Executive Director of SHFB) and Eileen Emerson (Agency Relations Manager, SHFB) at Mobile Distribution

SouthEast Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to the community by donating $110,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

This support of Second Harvest’s various hunger-relief programs reflects the bank’s dedication to addressing the increasing need for food assistance in the region.

Additionally, this fall SouthEast Bank organized a food drive that successfully collected 814 pounds of nutrient-dense foods, equating to more than 678 meals for homes throughout East Tennessee.

This year Second Harvest has seen an average cost increase of more than 40% to stock food needed by the community. The holidays are a continued and important time to continue to support neighbors across our region who are hungry or food insecure. Second Harvest of East Tennessee serves 18 counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union.

“We know there are heartbreaking situations in many homes in East Tennessee as inflation continues to affect all family households,” Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee Executive Director Elaine Streno said. “This year Second Harvest has seen an average cost increase of more than 40% to stock our shelves, and the need from our community just keeps growing. We are distributing more than 2 million pounds of nutrient-dense foods each month to our most vulnerable neighbors. Second Harvest continues to celebrate community partners like SouthEast Bank who generously support our hunger-relief programs. Through SouthEast Bank’s gifts of time, talent and treasures, we are able to feed our neighbors and inspire hope again.”

The cash donation along with the food drive underscores SouthEast Bank’s proactive approach in combating food insecurity and making a positive impact on the well-being of the community.

“SouthEast Bank is proud to stand alongside Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee in the fight against hunger,” SouthEast Bank Community Reinvestment Act Officer Kirby Burton said. Our commitment to community well-being extends beyond financial services, and we are honored to support programs that make a meaningful impact in the lives of our neighbors.”

The funds provided by SouthEast Bank will support hunger-relief programs specifically in Knox and Loudon counties for the period of 2023-2024. These programs include:

· Food For Kids Program

A collaboration between Second Harvest and public schools, the Food For Kids program provides healthy, easily prepared food to vulnerable children in the community. Bags of food containing fruit, dairy, veggies, grain, and protein are discreetly distributed to at-risk students every Friday throughout the school year, contributing to improved self-esteem, behavior, and concentration.

· School Pantry

Operated in collaboration with community partners, School Pantries located on school property provide staple items to children and their families in counties with the highest need. The program follows a client choice model, empowering families to make positive choices with confidence and move towards self-sufficiency.

· Mobile Pantries

Mobile Pantries bring food bank services directly to individuals at-risk of hunger in their own communities. These temporary food pantries, led by Second Harvest and community partners, deliver a balanced inventory of shelf-stable, fresh, and frozen foods to locations that can safely accommodate large numbers of attendees.

· Food Sourcing

The Food Sourcing program offers free, discounted, and purchased products to nonprofit agency partners. Second Harvest provides East Tennessee pantries with more than 75% of the food they distribute, including USDA Government Commodities, free products, discounted products, and purchased staple items.

SouthEast Bank’s generous donation will contribute significantly to the success of these programs, making a positive impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity in Knox and Loudon counties.

About Second Harvest of East Tennessee

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a member of Feeding America, has worked to compassionately feed East Tennesseans experiencing hunger since 1982. Last year, Second Harvest distributed more than 24 million pounds of food across an 18-county service area through multiple hunger-relief programs and 630+ community partners.

About SouthEast Bank

SouthEast Bank is a community bank headquartered in Farragut, Tennessee. With assets in excess of $2.6 billion, SouthEast Bank offers a full suite of loan and deposit products and services for families and businesses throughout Middle and East Tennessee, including its specialty consumer loan division, ELFI, which specializes in educational loan programs. SouthEast Bank is committed to the financial success of its customers, employees, and communities. Local decision-making and community involvement have been the driving successes of SouthEast Bank since its inception. Member FDIC.

For more information, visit www.southeastbank.com or call 1-844-732-2657.