farragutpress

Making an impact

Chambers, businesses partner with Second Harvest to promote Hunger Action Month

September 3, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

Between 150 and 200 showed their support to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee’s 4th Annual Hunger Action Month Kickoff Breakfast, which took place at the food bank office, 136 Harvest Lane, Maryville, Thursday, Aug. 28.

“What a lively, energetic crowd,” said Michael Torano, Second Harvest chief marketing officer.

“This is an amazing event,” said Wil Davenport, owner of More Than Memories and Farragut West Knox Chamber member. “I love the way it brings so many people together for such a great cause.

“I have been reading about, with funding being cut, it’s particularly a good time to be investing in bringing food for the community and drawing awareness to this, so I’m super excited to be here today,” he said.

“The impact this (event) makes is it spreads awareness of Second Harvest and our mission to lead the community in the fight to end hunger,” Second Harvest chief development officer Kristi Rule said. “It is significant because the whole month of September, with Hunger Action Month is a month of advocacy, food drives and even gaining financial support, all to end hunger across East Tennessee.”

Among the supporters, Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, Loudon County Chamber of Commerce and Blount Partnership partnered with Second Harvest on the event, as well as sponsors Vicki Williams of Movement Mortgage, Casey Mynatt of City Wide Facilities Solutions, Aaron Crecy of Junk Galaxy and Daniel Monday of Slamdot.

“We believe that no one should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, so we wanted to join forces and just show up each year for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee,” Mynatt said.

“We’re happy to be here this morning, always a pleasure to come to Second Harvest,” said Tammy Ford, vice president of Blount Partnership. “We have been out here many times … and we love what they would do not just for Blount County but for our community.”

“On behalf of Farragut West Knox Chamber, it is also a pleasure to see your bright, shining faces this morning,” FWKCC president/CEO Julie Blaylock said. “This event has grown so much over the past four years.

“It started out, not small but certainly not this (size),” she added. “And for us, it is so good to see businesses collaborating with each other, with non-profits in the spirit of supporting the greater good, which is our community and feeding our community.”

“Thank everybody from Loudon County for coming out,” Loudon County Chamber president Rodney Grugin said. “It’s great to have a partnership with not only with Second Harvest but with Blount County and Farragut West Knox.”

Donors unable to travel to the Maryville site can visit drop-off sites all across East Tennessee, according to Rule.

“You have Kroger grocery stores that will have Second Harvest food barrels in the lobby,” she said. “You can drop off (items) at your local Chamber — Farragut West Knox Chamber, Blount Partnership or Loudon County Chamber — and they’ll collect the peanut butter.

“Right now, through September, we’re asking for peanut butter or other nut butters because it’s a super food,” Rule said. “It’s a healthy protein for all of our neighbors.”

Additionally, she said, “you can check with Knoxville TVA Credit Union, as well as SmartBanks in your area; they are collecting for us as well.

“Hunger has no look,” she observed. “Anybody can be hungry.

“For some of the neighbors whom we serve, it may be an occasional thing to where their budget was larger than what they anticipated as far as expenses,” Rule said. “So, sometimes they’ll come to us, just needing help on occasion.

“But, we also have other neighbors who have taken in extended family members, and they may be living on a retired budget,” she said. “So, sometimes they need help on an ongoing basis.

“We would just encourage people that hunger can be anybody,” Rule said. “So, if you are so inclined to help, there’re always ways through buying an extra can of something at the grocery store and dropping it into a food drive barrel (or) making a cash donation.

“Ninety-five cents of every dollar we receive goes directly into a hunger relief program,” she said. “One dollar will provide three meals.

“So at the end of the day, if you want to have an incredible impactful return on your investment, we would be gracious and humbled by cash donations so that we can stock our shelves and get food on the tables of neighbors who are facing food insecurity,” Rule added.

Second Harvest Food Bank carries non-perishable foods, but it also supplies fresh produce, proteins, dairy products and frozen items.

“It’s truly what is in season and what we’re able to purchase,” she said. Still, “Our neighbors will get a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods to support their families.”