Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee Scales Support to Meet Need During Shutdown

Effective immediately, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee has activated its emergency plan in response to growing nutrition access needs throughout our 18-county service area. Thanks to steadfast community support, all programs continue uninterrupted as we work to meet rising demand with compassion and resolve.

Thousands of families across East Tennessee are facing uncertainty, and Second Harvest remains consistent in our mission to provide nourishment for all. To keep shelves reliably stocked for neighbors, we are:

• Preparing additional emergency food boxes for immediate distribution from our facility.

• Increasing the amount of product for distribution at each of our mobile pantries throughout November.

• Supplying each Partner Agency with additional cases of key kitchen staples, including mac and cheese, peanut butter, and shelf-stable milk.

For us, this crisis is about people. Federal nutrition programs are a lifeline for families. While these are interrupted, our focus remains on keeping nutritious food available for our neighbors throughout the season. Every dollar spent on food is an investment in people that strengthens families, farmers, and communities alike. Meeting this challenge will take all of us, united in purpose and compassion, to ensure no one in East Tennessee goes without food.

Need food today? Please call us at 865-521-0000 for more information about local resources and mobile pantries in your area. You can also find food distribution locations and hours on our Get Help page: https://SecondHarvestETN.org/get-help/

About Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee:

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a Partner Food Bank of Feeding America, has worked to compassionately feed East Tennesseans experiencing hunger since 1982. Last year, Second Harvest distributed more than 27.3 million pounds of food across an 18-county service area through multiple hunger-relief programs and 780+ community partners.