Katie Martin addresses the audience at Growing Together, the regional Hunger Relief conference
photo by John McCamis
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank hosted its 2024 Hunger Relief Conference in Chattanooga. The Hunger Relief conference is an annual event for all of the organizations who, together with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, create the hunger relief network addressing food insecurity across the same 20-county region in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.
“This conference was an exceptional opportunity for all of us to gather under one roof, reflect on our progress, and plan for our continued work in the future,” said Chattanooga Area Food Bank Chief Communications Officer Jeannine Carpenter. “The conference theme was ‘Growing Together,’ and I can’t think of anything more fitting. Sure, we want to grow together to end hunger in our region, but of equal importance, we want to grow together in the most thoughtful and equitable ways.”
More than 175 hunger relief agency leaders, allied organizations, and food bank employees gathered at the Brainerd Crossroads BX conference center for a day of education, networking, and sharing. The conference featured keynote addresses by Katie Martin, founder of More than Food Consulting and Mya Price, director of the Food Security Equity Impact Fund at Feeding America. Consistent among their messages were that the local trend of increasing food insecurity is, in fact, a national trend and that only by working with and listening to our neighbors can we best help our neighbors, said officials.
One hunger relief partner shared, “I am motivated to use the info and bring it to our organization.”
Across the 20 counties served by this network, approximately 1 in 8 residents is food insecure, meaning that they consistently wonder if they’ll have their next meal. With the persistent increases in the cost of food, officials anticipate that the number of food insecure families and individuals in the region has increased since this data was released by Feeding America last year.
For more information, to volunteer, or to find a food pantry or distribution in the area, please visit www.chattfoodbank.org.