Statements
Mission
Our mission is to nourish and empower people so they can thrive.
Background
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is a founding member of the Feeding America network--the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States with 200-member food banks. We are committed to leading the fight against hunger across the 46 counties we serve in Middle and West Tennessee. The need for providing healthy and nutritious food for those across Middle Tennessee who face hunger has never been greater. Today, 1 in 8 of our neighbors here in Middle Tennessee face hunger. At Second Harvest, we see a future where everyone has equitable access to the food and resources they need to thrive.
Second Harvest, founded in 1978, was created to address the community health issue of hunger, which we now understand more broadly as food insecurity. Hunger is more of a personal, physical sensation of discomfort that can come from food insecurity. Food insecurity is having inadequate resources to acquire enough food for a healthy, active life. We focus on both the quality and quantity of food distributed.
In every community, Tennesseans are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Yet in 2022, over 409,000 people-1 in 6 children-experienced food insecurity across our service area in Middle and West Tennessee. We are ready to help before, during, and after any crisis through our secure infrastructure of food resources and partners. We are in a unique position to meet the emergency head-on. Our focus is for clients to have food for today as well as the resources for future self-sufficiency. Through our collaboration with over 600 partners, we will continue to build pathways to long-term food security and cultivate resources to improve our neighbor's economic mobility. Hunger is an equity issue. Everyone in the state should have access to the food and resources they need to thrive, no matter their race, background, or ZIP code.
Impact
Not only are we the largest hunger relief organization in the state, but we're also the state's largest food rescue organization. Two of Second Harvest's logistical strengths are being nimble and capable--and food waste is mostly a logistical problem. Second Harvest can identify the sources of the 52.2% of food waste going to Tennessee landfills and rescue that food. We drive systemwide change to the staggering amount of food that goes unsold or uneaten so that it is rescued, sorted, and redistributed to our neighbors facing hunger. Our logistical expertise allowed us to rescue over 29 million pounds of food in FY24. Food rescue at this level significantly reduces environmental harm, conserves resources, and promotes sustainability while addressing the social issue of hunger. According to Project DrawDown, a leading resource for climate solutions, for every one pound of food wasted, there are 3.8 pounds of greenhouse gas emitted. So, our Food Rescue Program reduced greenhouse gas emissions by over 110 million pounds.
We are not working for communities--we are co-creating solutions with our community to work toward a future where everyone is food secure and zero food is wasted. Working alongside our Partner Agencies, we ensure they have the nutritious and culturally preferred foods their neighbors want, and we are increasing their capacity to distribute food more equitably. In FY24, our network distributed 47,878,986 pounds of food and 15,876,369 pounds was fresh produce. Through deep and broad partnerships, we strengthen communities. When people have access to the food and resources they need to thrive, they can contribute to the prosperity of their communities and our country as a whole.
Needs
To meet the high current demand for food assistance, Second Harvest has increased need for
1. Funds to purchase additional food--a need that far surpasses the amount of donated food available.
2. Donated food that helps fill some of the gap.
3. Volunteers who can sort food.
CEO Statement
Now in our 46th year, the mission of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee remains the same: Our mission is to nourish and empower people so they can thrive. We are at a critical stage in our growth. With more than one million Tennesseans at risk of hunger every day, we all must do more to make sure food is available for the children, families, and seniors who need it most. Second Harvest is consistently working beyond our capacity to rescue and deliver food to people facing hunger, but it's not enough. In the last twelve years, we have more than tripled our food distribution to those experiencing food insecurity. To meet growing demand, we project that this number will more than double over the next ten years. With even more food to be rescued and many families continuing to face hunger, due to rising costs of living and chronic unemployment, we face an urgent problem. Food is left on the community's table that could go to nourish our neighbors.
We worked quickly to optimize our footprint with the newly renovated and expanded Nashville distribution center and our two new facilities in Rutherford and Benton County. This allows us to rescue, sort, and deliver more food as we increase volunteer involvement in our three locations. While these efforts are crucial to the growth of the food bank, my primary focus remains on maintaining the safety and quality of every pound of food we distribute. To do this, we will continue to work with the USDA, Feeding America, and the Health Department to maintain our high standard for food safety as our food output continues to rapidly increase.
As we move forward, Second Harvest requires the continued support of Middle and West Tennesseans. Whether that comes via donation of food, volunteer time spent sorting and inspecting food in our distribution center, or giving funds to our programs where every $1 provides 4 meals to those in our community experiencing food insecurity, we need your help. To learn more about how you can get involved visit http://secondharvestmidtn.org/. Thank you for fighting hunger and feeding hope!
Nancy Keil
President & CEO
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Board Chair Statement
The work donors and volunteers accomplish in our community through Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is unparalleled among Tennessee nonprofits. By rescuing, sorting, purchasing, and delivering nutritious food, we meet a critical need to feed hungry people. Since March 2020, the pandemic has challenged this organization to adapt to an ever-changing environment - from difficulties sorting products to safely distributing food to children, families, seniors, unhoused neighbors, and individuals in need. At the peak of the pandemic, we were facing a 40-50% increase in need.
We are grateful that in 2015, Second Harvest launched a Capital Campaign to increase capacity at the main Nashville facility and build additional distribution centers in Rutherford and Benton Counties from which to better serve the entire region. Last year we distributed 47.2 million pounds of food.
Second Harvest has access to an ever-expanding supply of rescued groceries from 350 grocery retailers. These rescued groceries are an essential source of nutrition, including produce, protein-rich dairy and meat products, and other fresh foods. This effort puts more healthy nutrition on otherwise empty plates by adding trucks and equipment and locating distribution points nearer the sources of available food and the people in need. We focus on providing healthier, fresher options for our clients with 15.8 million pounds of fresh produce distributed last fiscal year.
We have much work to do in the coming year to maximize our capacity and close the meal gap. To keep vulnerable people fed, we need committed support from the community. I am honored to serve alongside Nancy Keil, President and CEO, and a dedicated Board of Directors to ensure we can work towards Second Harvest's mission to nourish and empower people so they can thrive. For more information, or to learn more about how you can get involved, contact Second Harvest at 615-329-3491 or visit http://secondharvestmidtn.org/.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Food, Agriculture & Nutrition - Food Banks, Food Pantries |
| Secondary Category: | Food, Agriculture & Nutrition - Food Programs |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Second Harvest serves all of Middle Tennessee and portions of West Tennessee. In addition to the counties listed above, Second Harvest serves Benton, Carroll, Chester, Decatur, Gibson, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Lincoln, and Weakley Counties.
| TN - Bedford |
| TN - Cannon |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Clay |
| TN - Coffee |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - DeKalb |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Franklin |
| TN - Giles |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Houston |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Jackson |
| TN - Lawrence |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Macon |
| TN - Marshall |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Moore |
| TN - Overton |
| TN - Perry |
| TN - Pickett |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Stewart |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Trousdale |
| TN - Warren |
| TN - White |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Wayne |
