What is Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee?

Updated

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee (netfoodbank.org) is a nonprofit food bank that has worked to end hunger in Northeast Tennessee since 1986. It secures and distributes food and engages the community through regional partnerships, programs, and education. It serves eight counties: Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington. If you live in that region and need food assistance, want to donate, or want to volunteer, this is the organization's official site.

What the organization does

Its stated mission is to feed the hungry in Northeast Tennessee by securing and distributing food and engaging the community in the fight to end hunger. Its vision is "A Hunger-Free Northeast Tennessee."

The site frames the need around food insecurity, which it describes as a household's inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life — one way to measure and assess the risk of hunger.

Scale and reach

Measure Figure
Counties served 8 (Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington)
Operating since 1986
People served annually 92,000 (unduplicated)
Volunteer hours 27,048
Total annual food distribution 13,509,920 pounds

What you can do on the site

  • Find food — locate a food pantry near you within the eight-county service area.
  • Donate — make a gift; the site states your gift helps provide meals and hope to neighbors experiencing hunger.
  • Volunteer / get involved — join the effort against hunger.
  • Attend events — events are described as a primary way to raise awareness about hunger in the region and raise funds.
  • Read news and stories — including "Stories of Hope" and organizational announcements.

Recent news and campaigns

  • Hunger Action Month — a September campaign inviting the community to "play your part" and take action to help end hunger.
  • Publix Charities donation — a $310,000 donation announced September 22, 2026, to support the food bank's programs, infrastructure, and agency partnerships.
  • 9/11 Unite For Good — a drive-by, drop-off event tied to the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, inviting the community to see how Second Harvest fights hunger.

Who this page is for

  • Residents of the eight counties who need help finding food.
  • Donors who want to support hunger relief in Northeast Tennessee.
  • Volunteers looking for ways to contribute time.
  • Community partners and agencies working with the food bank.

If you are outside the eight-county region, this food bank is not your local provider — use its "Find Food" tool only if you are within Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, or Washington County.