Chattanooga Area Food Bank

When it started in the spring of 1982, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank distributed 354,392 pounds of food. Last year it distributed more than 10 million pounds of food.

During the past 29 years, the Food Bank’s outreach has grown to include seven feeding programs in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia. The Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, works with a network of at least 380 service agencies to distribute food throughout a 20-county service area. Member agencies consist of service agencies and churches that operate soup kitchens, shelters, group homes and pantries.

In addition to working with feeding agencies, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank operates three children’s programs: Kids Café, Summer Lunch and Sack Pack, which provides weekend food packs to elementary school children each Friday.

Since its beginnings, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank has relied on the community for donations of food, money and volunteer man-hours to feed hungry families living in the area. It was started by a group of concerned community leaders and, using the framework and practices from an organization based in Phoenix, Ariz., Chattanoogans found that by working with the local food industry, needy families could be fed with food that could not be sold by the grocers, restaurants and corporate food producers.

As food and other prices continue to rise for consumers, so does the need for assistance, as well as the costs to offer that assistance. While monetary donations are always needed and appreciated, so are donations of time. Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can call (423) 622-1800 or stop by the facility on Curtain Pole Road, just off Amnicola Highway, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday or between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday.