Recent Updates

As our CEO steps into her new role, Rachael Ellis proudly announced our newest food access program: Harvesting Hope. Through ongoing partnerships with local farmers, the initiative is already expanding access to nutritious food for families while supporting the long-term sustainability of regional agriculture. Over the past several years, your food bank has built up a team of 60+ farms, and plans to grow that number to 100 during the next five years. One local farmer, Adam Thompson of Thompson Tender Beef in Knox County, opened up his farm to help share the impact.

Meet ALICE: the working households you might not see. As a follower of Second Harvest, you know hunger exists in our community, despite living in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. But there’s a group of neighbors you may not fully see, and their name is ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. It’s not a person, but it represents a growing number of households who are working hard, often at more than one job, and still can’t afford the basics. Continue reading to learn more.

Recently, our team visited one of our farm partners in Sevier County: Beech Grove Farm. Read more to learn about Grant Scalf’s unique & regenerative method of farming to see how he’s regenerating our community, too—and there may even be some adorable pig photos involved.

Thank you for showing up for our neighbors all year long. Here’s a look back at 2025.

How many meals do we distribute per month? Do we frequently run out of food? How many people do we serve? How do we serve children during school breaks? Continue reading for answers to these frequently asked questions about your food bank and more.