With Halloween on the way, spooky season is officially in full swing! People are already starting to decorate their yards with skeletons and spiderwebs, and at our food bank in Maryville, Tennessee, our team is eagerly anticipating our group costume, which has been planned since August. But there’s one thing this month that we want to make clear isn’t scary at all — food banks.
A December 2022 survey conducted by the Urban Institute found that nearly two-thirds of food-insecure adults who didn’t access charitable food did not feel comfortable accessing it. There are a variety of reasons that may keep people from accessing food banks or pantries — uncertainty of where to go, concern over qualifications or paperwork — but it’s clear that the stigma around food-bank usage is one factor preventing people from utilizing the resources they need.
Breaking Down the Stigma
It’s important we all do our part to end the stigma that exists around charitable food. One way we can do this is to redefine our understanding of who may be in need of food bank resources. There is no singular defining trait amongst our neighbors. We serve children, seniors, and individuals receiving emergency healthcare. Many individuals who utilize our services at Second Harvest are being confronted with choices of what they can pay for — able to cover rent and utilities, but unable to put money toward a grocery bill on top of these other expenses.
It’s important to reflect on our perception of poverty as well. The Confronting Poverty project found that in the United States, it’s widely believed that the gap between wealth and poverty is incredibly wide. In reality, the research shows that between the ages of 20 and 75, nearly 60% of Americans will experience at least one year living below the poverty line.
Food banks are a resource available for anyone to use, for whatever length of time they need, be that one week or one year, and we believe there is nothing shameful or embarrassing about receiving food from Second Harvest — or any food bank. In fact, we hope those in need of food will use our resources. It’s what they’re here for.
Ways Second Harvest Can Help
Lack of information may also cause people to feel uncomfortable using our resources, so we’ve put together a short list of how you can receive food from Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.
- Connecting with partner agency through the list of food pantries by county available on our website
- Attending a mobile pantry, listed by date on our website
- Coming by Second Harvest to receive an “Emergency Food Box,” which is located in Maryville at 136 Harvest Lane Maryville, TN 37801 and open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Applying for SNAP with the assistance of our Empowerment Services coordinator, who can be reached at laura@secondharvestetn.org