When it comes to food insecurity here at home, the statistic is staggering. “One in seven people are going hungry in Nashville,” says Mary Kate Grant, communications manager for The Nashville Food Project.
The organization has grown tremendously since its inception in 2011. The staff and volunteers involved with the non-profit work hard to fulfill its mission: To bring people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city.
“Growing food increases social connectivity, and it really gives people a lot of agency over what they're able to eat,” she says. “Many people in our gardening programs come from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, and they're growing produce that they can't find in a traditional grocery store in America. They’re excited to share them with their families and with their communities.”
The organization also recovers about 280,000 pounds of food each year that would otherwise go to waste. “We partner with big grocery stores and have volunteer groups that sort through the food to make sure that everything is still usable and that food gets transformed into six to seven thousand meals per week.” It also partners with many local farms.
These nutritious, chef-cooked meals are then shared with people who need them the most. “We partner with about 50 to 60 different poverty-disrupting organizations across Nashville, and the crux of that partnership for us is, ‘How can food support the work that they’re already doing in the community?’ If it’s a program for English language learners, they can learn better if they have full bellies. Also, these are people coming from different cultural backgrounds and sharing a meal together before class increases that social connectivity.”
The organization also provides meals to students in after-school programs, and these meals often serve as their only dinner. In addition, by partnering with organizations like FiftyForward and St. Luke's Community House, senior citizens come together and share meals. For those who are homebound, volunteers go out into the community to deliver meals. “Somebody showing up to their door is a social touchpoint and a wellness check too,” says Mary Kate.
Food, she says, is a matter of basic dignity, and everyone should have access to it. “But, we believe we can't alleviate hunger without cultivating community, so we rely on volunteers in our kitchen and gardens. Right now is a great time to volunteer in our gardens’ program as the weather is cooling down and fall harvests are picking up.”
The Nashville Food Project also needs help stocking basic pantry items such as black beans, rice and other shelf-stable items. Of course, financial support is always appreciated.
To help, go to TheNashvilleFoodProject.org.
“One in seven people are going hungry in Nashville.” - Mary Kate Grant