By: Ella Coleman
Copy Editor
With the holidays coming up and grocery prices rising, many families are struggling to feed themselves or even afford necessities. Almost 42 million Americans have felt the impact of SNAP benefits getting cut on November 1. However, there are plenty of programs and resources around Sumner County that help those in need with food and hygiene essentials.
Volunteer State Community College has its own food pantry called The Feed. It’s available every semester and is accessible to any Vol State student at no cost. Their pre-packaged bags consist of fruits, vegetables, pasta, canned goods, and meats. Oatmeal, turkey, ramen, pancake mix, and syrup are also available. Students can request food bags by visiting Student Services, located in the Wood Campus Building.
The Feed also accepts monetary donations and drop-offs for food and hygiene products in bins around each campus. On the Gallatin campus, there’s a bin located right outside of The Feed room in the Wood building, one on the second-floor hallway in the SRB building, and one in the Thigpen Library near the entrance. Foods like soup, pasta, sauce, pancake mix, snacks, ramen, and syrup are encouraged. They also welcome donations of hygiene products, such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, and more.
Future Educators, a campus club, is hosting a Thanksgiving food drive, accepting donations of items specific to Thanksgiving meals. Additionally, there’s a food drive challenge to see which college can collect the most items by December 5.
The Feed has a partnership with the organization of Second Harvest Food Bank. Second Harvest has many food banks across Middle Tennessee, with locations and hours listed on its website in Nashville and Hendersonville. They also have a Mobile Market with pop-ups at different locations. Second Harvest works together with grocery stores, farmers, distributors, and individuals to ensure that those in need get good-quality food items. Their website also has recipes and tips for preparing and storing different ingredients. If you’re looking to get involved and make a difference, they’re always accepting donations and volunteers.
Nashville Community Resource Center’s priority is to provide basic hygiene products to those in need, including toiletries, diapers, period products, and cleaning supplies. According to their website, 2 out of 5 Middle Tennessee families struggle to afford basic hygiene essentials. They partner with many organizations across Sumner County, including the Hands of Hope Food Pantry, the Sumner County School District, and the Gallatin Shalom Zone.
The CRC’s partnership with Gallatin Shalom Zone offers a free hygiene and diaper pantry, open Wednesdays from 10 am-2 pm. Residents of Sumner County can show up once a month and show photo ID, proof of residence, and documentation proving guardianship of any children they’re getting items for.
As previously mentioned, the Hands of Hope Food Pantry is in Portland, Tennessee, and serves families all over Sumner County. All you have to do is show up during business hours and show proof of Sumner County residence, and you’re able to shop for what you need once per month.
There are locations around Sumner County where you can receive free period products, thanks to an organization called Sumner Period Pantry. They have self-serve stations at different places: the Gallatin Public Library, the White House Public Library, the Gallatin Health Department, the Portland Health Department Clinic, Bledsoe Creek State Park, and The Collab. Community donations fund them, and the Sumner Period Pantry website includes a link to their wish list for donations.
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