Tennessee Food Bank Hosts Week of Service for America250

A Tennessee food bank is turning America's 250th birthday into a week of feeding hungry neighbors.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee announced it will host a Good Neighbor Week of Caring from May 26 through May 29 in Kingsport. The food bank is partnering with America250, a bipartisan initiative encouraging Americans to serve their communities as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.

Volunteers of all types are welcome. Individuals, groups, and corporate teams can sign up for morning shifts from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. or afternoon shifts from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. any day that week.

"Good Neighbor Week of Caring is about showing up for the people and places that make our community strong," says Rhonda Chafin, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. "We are offering an easy but impactful way for our community to come together in service to our neighbors while also participating in the celebration of our nation's historic 250th anniversary."

Second Harvest serves eight counties across Northeast Tennessee, including Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Washington, and Unicoi. The organization collects food donations from national manufacturers, local grocers, and individual donors, then redistributes them to nonprofit charities and food bank programs throughout the region.

The Ripple Effect

When volunteers sort food at Second Harvest, they're doing more than filling boxes. They're helping families across rural Tennessee access meals they might otherwise go without. Each volunteer hour translates into hundreds of pounds of food reaching kitchen tables in communities where grocery stores are sparse and food insecurity runs high.

The America250 partnership brings local action to a national moment. Communities across the country are finding ways to honor the nation's quarter-millennium by strengthening the bonds that hold neighborhoods together.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email volunteers@netfoodbank.org with their preferred days and times. A coordinator will confirm availability and provide details about what to expect during shifts.

Serving neighbors and celebrating American resilience can happen in the same two-hour window.