Second Harvest Food Bank receives grant to support School Pantry Program

MARYVILLE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee today announced a $32,000 grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation to help expand efforts to reach children and families facing hunger across the East Tennessee region.

Support from this grant will go toward the School Pantry program, where Second Harvest partners with local schools like Jellico Elementary School to provide groceries through on-site school food distributions. Through the School Pantry program, students and their families can select food to bring home once a month, year-round, helping ensure consistent access to nutritious groceries.

Food insecurity continues to impact every county, parish and borough in the United States, affecting people regardless of background, demographics, location, or disability. In East Tennessee, one in six children experiences hunger at home. The School Pantry program serves more than 1,650 individuals with an average of 25,880 pounds of food every month throughout Second Harvest’s 18-county service area, throughout the school year and summer months.

“Every child deserves access to the nutritious food they need to grow, learn and thrive,” said Rachael Ellis, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “Support from the Morgan Stanley Foundation helps us meet families where they are, and ensures children in East Tennessee can get the nourishment they need for their well-being today and for years to come.”

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is one of 33 Feeding America partner food banks to receive funding from the Morgan Stanley Foundation this year, as part of its long-standing commitment to supporting children’s health and well-being nationwide. Since 2009, the Morgan Stanley Foundation has partnered with Feeding America to provide more than $50 million for hunger-relief programs that deliver food assistance and nutritious meals to children and families wherever the need is greatest.

“We are proud to support the Feeding America network of food banks and their critical work to reach communities facing hunger across the country,” said Joan Steinberg, President of the Morgan Stanley Foundation.

To learn more about Second Harvet’s School Pantry Program, connect here. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-07/01/2026-6AM-PHOTO COURTESY OF JELLICO ELE SCH)