Hunger Free Summer: Ensuring No Child Goes Hungry When School’s Out  Summer is a time of joy and relaxation for many children, but for some, it can also mean uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. When school cafeterias close for summer break, vulnerable kids lose access to the free and reduced breakfasts and lunches families depend on during the schoolyear. This issue has become even more pressing as child food insecurity rates continue to rise. Currently, 1 in 6 children face hunger, a 5.3% increase from last year. To combat this, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tenn ..read more

Stars for Second Harvest: Celebrating 46 Years of Feeding Tennessee  The 46th anniversary of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is a milestone worth celebrating. It’s not just about the number; it’s about the impact – serving 46 counties across Middle and West Tennessee. One of the cornerstones of this remarkable journey is our “Stars for Second Harvest” concert, a star-studded event that has become an institution in country music and the fight against hunger.  A Rich History of Music and Generosity  Stars for Second Harvest, now over 30 years old, began as a small ..read more

Friends of the Food Bank and Lee Cunningham  In the heart of Middle and West Tennessee, a group of young professionals is making a significant impact through volunteerism, fundraising, and community engagement. Friends of the Food Bank, an initiative from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, is a vibrant community of individuals aged 25-40 who are dedicated to helping neighbors in need by advocating for hunger solutions. One friend, Lee Cunningham, is a former member of Friends of the Food Bank who now serves on the Board of Directors for Second Harvest.  Lee’s Path to Secon ..read more

Brenton is feeling the pinch. He and his wife live with their 3-year old daughter. And despite having two incomes, they can barely pay their bills and keep their family fed. Brenton earns a decent wage as an accounts payable clerk. Combined with his wife’s part-time job, they make a little too much to qualify for much government help … but not enough to keep up with regular expenses. “Daycare is really expensive,” Brenton says, noting that it can cost up to $350 per week. So, they take turns working to try to keep daycare costs more manageable. His wife stays home with their little girl while ..read more

Jerick, 11, loves gym class and hopes to be a professional soccer player when he grows up. The sixth grader knows that any athlete needs fuel to excel, so he’s really glad that Second Harvest provides nutritious food through a Kids Cafe at a Community Center in Nashville. Jerick admits that he’s a sucker for gummy worms as a snack, but he knows he needs to eat nutritious foods if he wants to be a pro athlete when he’s older. “Eating vegetables helps me feel full and gives me energy,” says Jerick, who lives with his parents and two older siblings. “And I love the juices — they’re really good ..read more

Maya, a seventh-grade student in Nashville, loves to express herself, particularly as a writer and through the arts. She sings in the choir, and her favorite artist is composer Lin-Manuel Miranda. Maya starred in her school’s production of Moana, singing the songs Miranda wrote for the musical. In the story, Moana, a young girl, lives on an island where blight is killing vegetation and shrinking the fish catch — so there’s a food shortage, and the people are going hungry … until the protagonist saves the day. Maya knows what it’s like to sometimes experience hunger. She says it can be hard to ..read more

At Second Harvest Food Bank, we recognize the critical intersection between food insecurity and health. Many of our neighbors who face challenges in accessing sufficient food are also struggling to manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. This is often due to a reliance on inexpensive, readily available foods that are typically high in saturated fats and sodium. Such dietary choices, while economical, do not support a healthy lifestyle and can exacerbate health issues. Understanding these challenges, Second Harvest Food Bank is committed to not only providing food but ensuring th ..read more

This summer marks an important milestone for Second Harvest Food Bank as we celebrate our 46th anniversary and continue our commitment to ensuring no child faces hunger with our annual Hunger Free Summer campaign. As schools close their doors for the season, many children lose access to the vital breakfasts and lunches they depend on. Our summer feeding initiatives, including Kids Cafes and Summer Feeding Sites, have become essential in bridging this gap and providing nutritious meals to those in need.  The Genesis of Summer Feeding  The story of our summer feeding programs is insepa ..read more

Composting is a fundamental step in the fight against hunger. Composting, or the process of taking food waste and turning it into nutrient dense soil for farming and gardening, plays a crucial role in combating hunger by reducing the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills. Globally, approximately one-third of all food produced is wasted, amounting to about 931 million tons annually.  composter in action at Project Grow At Second Harvest, we strive to ensure that no edible food goes to waste. However, there are certain food products that are not suitable for consumption that must s ..read more

Food insecurity and mental health are deeply interconnected issues that affect millions of people worldwide. At Second Harvest Food Bank, we recognize the importance of addressing both to ensure holistic well-being. Today, we want to explore the complex relationship between mental health and food insecurity to shed a light on how lacking reliable access to nutritious food can impact psychological well-being, and vice versa.  The Impact of Food Insecurity on Mental Health  Food insecurity does more than just impact physical health—it significantly affects mental health too. Studies ha ..read more