CHATTANOOGA FOOD EQUITY PROGRAM

In partnership with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and City Farms Grower Coalition, The Bethlehem Center embarked on the Chattanooga Food Equity Project in the fall of 2022.

This opportunity was made possible by Feeding America’s  Food Security Equity Impact Fund. This fund, established in 2021, is a philanthropic initiative aimed at addressing systemic inequities related to hunger and food access. This fund provides multi-year grants to community organizations and network food banks engaged in food justice and equitable access initiatives. In 2022, the fund awarded 25 grants totaling $9.9 million to organizations in 22 states and Puerto Rico, partnering with 60 community-based organizations. The fund is committed to equity and prioritizes community voices in its work, with a focus on addressing the root causes of hunger, particularly in communities of color.

Eligible organizations include those collaborating with community-based organizations serving people of color, and the fund supports projects that tackle the underlying issues contributing to food insecurity in disadvantaged areas across the United States.

Our first year consisted of a planning process that included survey work, interviews with community members, pilot wellness initiatives, and a 12-week urban gardening course led by our partner City Farms.

The groundwork we laid in the first year of planning is now being transformed into a new Resource Access department at The Beth, providing support to individuals and households as they move toward stability and ultimately food security.