MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee has been awarded a $32,000 grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation to strengthen efforts aimed at helping children and families experiencing food insecurity across the region.
The funding will support Second Harvest’s School Pantry Program, which partners with local schools to provide on-site food distributions for students and their families. Through the program, participants can select groceries to take home once each month throughout the year, helping ensure consistent access to nutritious food.
According to Second Harvest, the School Pantry Program currently serves more than 1,650 individuals each month and distributes an average of 25,880 pounds of food monthly throughout the organization’s 18-county service area in East Tennessee.
Second Harvest CEO Rachael Ellis said the grant will help provide children with the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and thrive while allowing the organization to reach families where they are.
The Morgan Stanley Foundation announced that more than $1 million in grants were awarded this year to Feeding America partner food banks nationwide. Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is among 33 Feeding America affiliates selected to receive support as part of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to children’s health and well-being.
