Services & Programs

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At Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, we collect and distribute food throughout our community using a variety of programs and services. Food bank programs that provide direct service include:
  • The Food for Kids Backpack Program
  • Summer Food Service Program
  • Mobile Food Pantry

Food Collection Services

Food Bank

We collect, sort, store, repackage and distribute millions of pounds of food every year. Our 112,000+ square foot facility allows us to receive truckloads of food and distribute it to our network of 120 partner agencies.

Food Rescue

Every day, our Food Rescue teams collect hundreds of pounds of fresh produce, dairy, deli, meat, and bakery items from grocery stores around the area. We always welcome new commercial food businesses to partner with our Food Rescue program.

Contact Jon Grim if you would like to partner with us at (423) 279-0430 ext. 224 or e-mail: donatefood@netfoodbank.org

Food Distribution Services

Agency Partners

Second Harvest of Northeast Tennessee works with approximately 120 local agencies that provide food and meals to hungry families in our community.

Second Harvest Programs

The Food for Kids Backpack Program®

The Food for Kids Backpack Program® provides children in need with a bag full of healthy snacks and easily prepared meal items to take home to eat after school and on weekends. 

The program is offered through all schools in our region, where children who would benefit from the program are identified by school nurses and counselors. Sponsors are secured each year so that every child in need of the Food for Kids program will be served. 4,500 children are currently being served.

Mobile Food Pantry

Sometimes food assistance is needed in parts of our region where food pantries and soup kitchens are not available. The Mobile Pantry and Senior Grocery Program come to the rescue by providing regular food distributions to fill the meal security gaps in Northeast Tennessee. These programs reach thousands of people in need, with the two programs distributing over 1.7 million pounds of food during the last fiscal year.

Organizations and sponsors are needed to host Mobile Pantry and Senior Grocery Program distributions in communities throughout the region.  If you are interested, please contact Renee Richardson at (423) 279-0430 ext. 236 or rrichardson@netfoodbank.org.

Summer Food Service Program®

Summer is a difficult time for families struggling with food insecurity due to the absence of meals provided for children while they are in school.  Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee meets the needs of families through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Food is distributed to children in our SFSP program using two models 1) a traditional Summer Food Service program model at stationary sites and 2) a mobile distribution model at state-approved non-congregate locations. The SFSP menu meets USDA requirements and is planned for a two-week cycle using a combination of packaged and Thaw & Serve meals.

Examples of each meal are as follows:

  • Thaw & Serve meals- frozen sandwich, cheese stick, apple sauce, juice, and milk
  • Packaged breakfasts- breakfast cereal, whole grain snacks, juices and milk
  • Packaged lunches- hummus, whole grain tortilla chips, sunflower seeds, canned peaches, craisins, and milk

Senior Grocery Program

Food box distributions made to low-income seniors at sites with easy access. 

Senior Home Delivery

Seniors who are homebound with little to no transportation, 60 and older, and meet income guidelines can request a monthly food box delivered to their door.  Please contact Renee Richardson at (423) 279-0430 ext. 236 or rrichardson@netfoodbank.org for additional information.
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