Report notes ‘significant’ growth of food insecurity in East Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee provided more than 26 million pounds of food during its 2024 fiscal year, but the organization noted that there was also a significant increase in food insecurity in the region during that time.

Second Harvest released its annual report for fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024, sharing that it provided the equivalent of 21.9 million meals to East Tennesseans in 18 counties. In total, the food bank distributed 26.3 million pounds of food, including 6.2 million pounds of produce.

At the same time, however, the foodbank also noted that the most recent Map the Meal Gap data showed that 202,560 East Tennesseans are food insecure, including 44,860 children. Second Harvest explained that number is a “significant 26% year-over-year increase” that was driven by inflation and other economic factors.

Food insecurity is defined as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

“While these stats are impactful, they only meet 57.7% of the need,” said Executive Director,
Elaine Streno. “To fully bridge the meal gap, 16.1 million additional meals need to be
provided annually in East Tennessee.”

Last year, volunteers worked nearly 31,000 hours to sort pack and distribute food. The organization has comprehensive network of programs that help it reach diverse segments of the community, including the Food for Kids program that supports more than 15,400 children in 304 public school each week during the school year and the Food Rescue Program that redistributed more than 10 million pounds of donated food from producers, grocers, restaurants and farmers.

To learn more about the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and how to help, visit secondharvestetn.org

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