Dear Friends of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, 50 years ago, a small dedicated group of friends - Elizabeth Patten Carter, Mike Thatcher and Jim Bills - began their efforts to create a food bank in Chattanooga. Born out of a story about St. Mary’s Food Bank by Charles Kuralt, they enlisted a Board of Directors and began soliciting food supplies, especially from Quaker Oats, in a church basement with a $10,000 grant. Today, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank employs over 45 staff, has almost 6,000 volunteers, and serves 20 counties throughout southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia. On a yearly basis, we provide millions of groceries to thousands of families, individuals, and seniors. The passionate attitudes of the individuals who created this success story is still strong today. As the need for assistance grew and evolved, we adapted to meet that need. We continue to build and sustain hunger-free communities by providing nourishing food and hope to those in need. As we enter our 50th year, we celebrate our past, but are energized to look forward to the future. A future of hope that empowers our neighbors to move toward greater selfsufficiency, creates sustainable change, and addresses the root causes of poverty. Join us throughout 2022 to commemorate this very special milestone. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors. Together, we can end hunger in our time. We look forward to celebrating with you! Better Together, Melissa Blevins President and Chief Executive Officer
An Evening for Everyone and
• Family Volunteer Night - 2/10/22 & 3/21/22 • Fork It Over - 3/10/22
I M PA C T S T O R Y
After fostering her since infancy, Miss Valerie officially adopted 6-year-old Raven four years ago.
CO M M U N I T Y E N G AG E M E N T
Family Volunteer Night
VO LU N T E E R S P OT L I G H T
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
S TA F F S P O T L I G H T
We proudly recognize NGEMC for our donor spotlight. The Food Bank was a recent recipient of a grant from their Operation Round Up (ORU). We are thankful for community partners, like NGEMC, that choose to join us in solving hunger, providing hope to the communities we serve.
NWGA Warehouse