'Unite for Good': Second Harvest hosts food, donation drive on 9/11 anniversary

KINGSPORT — Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee held a food and donation drive Friday, encouraging community members to give back on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. The "9/11 Unite For Good" special event was held as part of September's Hunger Action Month, where the food bank aims to spread awareness and educate how hunger impacts this region. Kristen Reedy, chief development officer for Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, said the day was an opportunity for Feeding America food banks across the nation to come together for a day of service in honor and memory of those impacted by the events on Sept. 11, 2001. "Food banks are uniquely positioned for disasters, and we're ready to respond," she said. "That's part of our strategic plan. That's part of our mission, pulling together and serving folks is what we do every single day. This is a good way to remember that, and it's a good way for us to let our community know that we're always here, we're always dependable to do what our community needs us to." She said food collected will be packaged and redistributed to partner agencies across the food bank's eight-county region of Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Washington and Unicoi counties. Hunger Action Month With September being Hunger Action Month, Reedy said this year's theme is "Play Your Part," calling on the community to contribute to helping those in need in whatever ways they can. "Everybody can play a part," Reedy said. "It can be a food drive that you do in your community or that you do at your school. It can be a collection. We've had some kiddos collect coins in Ziploc bags and bring those by with their parents, which has been very sweet. Every little bit counts." She mentioned Second Harvest is currently holding a competitive food drive between Dobyns-Bennett and West Ridge High Schools; Second Harvest Community Relations Coordinator Karen Todd also recently spoke to several school clubs about hunger and what it looks like in the lives of people in Northeast Tennessee. "Those kids are learning about hunger, where hunger lives," Reedy said. "You don't really think about that in your community, but it's people that you're standing in line with at the grocery store. It could be somebody that your kiddos go to school with who are stretching those dollars." Looking ahead Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee plans to hold a distribution day event on Hunger Action Day, which is Sept. 29. "Volunteers are working this entire month to get produce and protein boxes ready for that distribution on the 29th," Reedy said. "It'll be very similar to our summer feeding distribution where you drive through, volunteers to load your car and you go on your way. We're excited to share the benefit of the resources that our community has blessed us with." Reedy hopes that just like how the community rallied behind supporting others following 9/11 and Hurricane Helene, they will continue to show up in future times of need. "I think that the spirit of coming together every day — not just during Hunger Action Month, not just on 9/11 — but to keep that in mind each day that we are here for a purpose," she said. "We're blessed with a lot of generosity in our community and we want to make sure that we're able to give that back out." For more information about the food bank, visit https://netfoodbank.org/.