Nourish
I don’t know about you, but as an adult, I miss the beginning of a new school year. I miss the nervous anticipation of new challenges and new friendships, of new opportunities and new successes, of becoming someone who knows more and, hopefully, knows better. I like to think I’m still creating moments like that in my life, but I KNOW that at the food bank, we are.
We focus every day on our mission – to eliminate hunger. But we are also looking to our vision – to build pathways for a healthy, hunger-free future. We know that food insecurity is rarely about food. It’s about families not being able to make ends meet, even though they are working full-time jobs. It’s about access to or the cost of childcare or elder care. It’s about transportation, health care costs, and being priced out of homes. At the food bank, we’re having these tough conversations with our community leaders, with policymakers, with allied organizations, and – most importantly – with our neighbors. We’re committed to removing all barriers which prevent healthy, hunger-free lives.
For countless children across our region, a return to school means they know when their next meal is coming – thanks to school meal programs, in-school pantries, and weekend sack pack programs. We are proud to be a part of that work, and grateful to you for your support of it. For countless parents and guardians, the beginning of a new school year means relief – knowing their children are in a safe place with healthy food – while they work to provide for their families. For the food bank, a return to school means renewed commitment to support these families and all our neighbors.
School has started, and with your help, we’re going to keep finding the opportunities and conquering the challenges of another year – getting closer to a hunger-free future.
Jeannine Carpenter Chief Communications Officer
Our 1st Annual Legal Food Frenzy!
For two weeks in May, we held our first Legal Food Frenzy, a friendly competition among lawyers and firms around Chattanooga. 14 teams competed to see who could raise the most money for children in Hamilton County.
With the proceeds from the event, we’ll be able to provide groceries for over 135,000 meals for the children in our area! We want to thank Lynda Hood of the Chattanooga Bar Association and board members Tracey Smith and Jim Catanzaro, Jr. for helping organize this fundraiser. We can’t wait for next year’s Frenzy!
We had a blast at our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Cookout in April! We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers. Whether you’ve volunteered one hour or one thousand, thank you for serving with us.
Our friends at UniFirst provided all the burgers and hot dogs for the event!
09.08.2024 Save the Date!
To find more info and register, scan here:
SPOTLIGHTS
In Cleveland, The Caring Place continues to celebrate the grand opening of their new building. Opened in April 2024, the new space has been a revelation for both the organization and the community.
hunger relief partner
“We were looking for space that would remove barriers for our neighbors,” said Chris Schelich, Community Engagement Coordinator. Therefore, Chris said, the new building was designed not only to rectify this flaw but also to realize many projects on their wish list. “Many of our neighbors have been blown away by the scope and scale of it.”
One of the largest transformations to come with the building is their Resource Market, a large bright room that houses long racks of clothes, household items, linens, and food. The pantry is fully guest-choice. This new setup imparts a strong sense of self and dignity, allowing neighbors to shop for exactly what they need. To stock their Resource Market, The Caring Place sources from local grocery stores, holds food drives, and purchases grocery items from the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. The food bank and The Caring Place have been partners for over ten years, first supplying food for Sack Packs, then delivering grocery items as the Cleveland organization expanded.
Coupled with the Resource Market is the new Opportunity Center where social workers offer comprehensive case management across several programs that aim to improve participants’ quality of life. The Caring Place also works with United Way of the Ocoee Region to facilitate rapid rehousing and eviction prevention, among other services. For those enrolled in their programs, The Caring Place provides onsite showers and laundry machines. “We can’t do it all, but what we want to do, we want to do well,” said Chris.
The Caring Place has only developed half of their new property, so discussions are already ongoing about what the future may look like for the organization and what needs can be addressed with more infrastructure.
“We don’t know what those needs are yet,” said Chris. “But we would love to expand to serve our community better.”
volunteer
John Rowland has been volunteering with the food bank for over three years. He first served with us as part of a biennial event with Riggs & Associates, packing and sorting food in our main warehouse, but he cites musician and hunger activist Harry Chapin as a major influence to keep returning week after week. John is now a regular at our Foxwood Food Center, helping our guests shop for groceries.
“The food bank has become a second home and a second family to me,” he said. “I get a great sense of satisfaction from what I’m doing, but I also have a strong feeling that I’m getting more than I give.”
John said one of his favorite things about volunteering at Foxwood is interacting with guests and trying to get a smile out of the kids.
At the end of it all, John said, “It’s about human beings helping human beings.”
Laura Arnold has been at our Foxwood Food Center for over a year, sorting and stocking food, helping guests, and keeping our flagship pantry running as more and more people seek help. In several ways, the food bank sits close to Laura’s heart. Her sister is a previous employee and encouraged Laura to apply when a position opened at Foxwood.
“The job was everything I wanted,” said Laura, “wrapped up in a big package.” She wanted to work with people, to be active and moving and helping our neighbors directly.
“I’ve been on that side,” she said. A couple of years ago, Laura was facing a too-tight budget and needed help with groceries, so she visited the food bank to help feed her family.
Now, she leads our volunteers at Foxwood, and everyone works to make sure food gets exactly where it’s needed most. Laura especially loves the camaraderie between the staff and volunteers. “It’s just a big family.”
Broccoli
Salad
1 large crown of broccoli, cut into florets and thinly sliced stems
2 apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Cosmic Crisp), cored and sliced thin
Lemon Dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Yogurt Dressing
1 tbsp plain yogurt (Greek or Icelandic)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste
Combine broccoli and apple slices in a large mixing bowl.
Mix together one of the two dressings. The lemon dressing will make for a thin, tart coating. The yogurt dressing will create a tangy coleslaw-style salad.
Pour the dressing over the broccoli and apples and gently toss.
This salad is best served immediately on cold plates. Feel free to add a protein like grilled chicken or salmon!
