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Nourish

When the need increases across Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee, the effects are immediate, and our team rises to meet the challenge.

Across our two warehouses, we move nearly 2 million pounds of food every month to support more than 200 partner food pantries across 20 counties, and our 4,000-squarefoot Foxwood Food Center allows us to serve neighbors directly.

Food comes to us in several ways—through generous donations, retail rescue partners, local farmers and strategic wholesale purchases, and government commodity programs that help secure staple items. Having diversiﬁed sourcing is critical. It gives us both ﬂexibility and consistency.

Our partner agencies choose what their communities need most, and our Operations Team of 26 warehouse staff and 5 drivers prepares those orders for pickup or delivery. Behind the scenes, that means receiving, inspecting, sorting, staging, and moving food every single day with pinpoint accuracy.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just the volume—it’s the coordination and heart behind it. This team understands that every pallet, every order, and every route represents families counting on us.

every day,wedeliverfooddirectlyinto the

Angela Nicholette Chief Operations Ofﬁcer

Cindy McGuire has been a familiar and welcoming presence at the Main Warehouse since 2023. She volunteers once a week and often steps in whenever help is needed. In the warehouse, she has become a reliable and experienced helper, learning to keep everything running smoothly. Her experience is invaluable when it comes to showing new volunteers the ropes, and she’s on a shortlist to help Food Bank staff Jay, Chris, and Orlando with bigger, more complex projects.

After retiring and moving to Chattanooga six years ago, Cindy was looking for a meaningful way to spend her time. She says the welcoming atmosphere and supportive team of the Food Bank are a big part of why she keeps coming back.

Last year, our volunteers logged 42,832 hours across our 3 locations

“Volunteering gives me a sense of purpose,” she explains. “I’ve met the best people while I’ve been volunteering and made some really good friends.”

Three years in, Cindy’s dedication and enthusiasm continue to make an impact. And if she has her way, her time with the Food Bank is far from over.

thChickamauga Active Living Center is in the heart of historic Chickamauga, Georgia.

The Center plans meals and activities for seniors who are active and over the age of 60. They also deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors in their community.

Many of those attending the Center have relatives who have passed on, work full time, or live far away, so everyone treats each other like family.

Pam Youngblood oversees the Center, and her care, organization, and hard work truly make it the special place that it is. She says her ﬁrst day at the Center was the last day she actually worked! We are proud to partner with Pam and the Chickamauga Active Living Center to make sure our senior neighbors have access to healthy groceries and nutritious meals.

hearts of our communities

Orlando Gonzalez is our Warehouse Manager. For the last two years, he’s been an integral part of our Main Warehouse in Chattanooga.

Our drivers made over 2,100 deliveries last year across 20 counties.

When asked what a normal day looks like for him, Orlando responds with a smile. “There is no normal,” he says.

When he arrives in the morning, Orlando reviews emails and determines how to make the biggest impact with his day. He makes rounds to help build Emergency Food Boxes, repack food in the clean room, work with order pickers, or help the Receiving Team unload trucks. “We have such a great team, and I can’t do this without them,” he says.

This past winter, Orlando was lending a hand on a delivery to Tracy City, Tennessee. It was 19 degrees, and the delivery was welcomed by an elderly woman and a handful of younger men from one of our partners. “It was incredible,” says Orlando, “seeing her dedication to the work at her age, knowing the impact that the food would have for our neighbors.” As the Food Bank truck pulled away, 40 cars were already in line to receive groceries.

BJ’s Wholesale Club in Hixson, Tennessee, is our newest Retail Rescue partner. Through our Retail Rescue program, we turn surplus food into support for our neighbors. Every day, local and regional stores donate fresh produce, meat, bread, and other groceries to keep good food out of landﬁlls and on the tables of families who need it most.

“We’re bringing unbeatable value and savings of up to 25 percent off grocery store prices every day to families in Chattanooga,” said Dave Shaw, club manager at the Chattanooga BJ’s Wholesale Club. “At BJ’s, we take care of the families who depend on us, and we’re thrilled to be part of the community.”

BJ’s has a long-standing commitment to nourishing the communities they call home. For over 15 years, it has worked with Feeding America and its network of food banks, providing more than 155 million meals for those in need.

“We’re excited to welcome BJ’s Wholesale Club to Chattanooga,” said Melissa Blevins, our president and CEO. “At the heart of this partnership is a shared goal to nourish our community. The contributions from BJ’s will make a meaningful difference for neighbors facing hunger across our region, and partnerships like this are essential to ensuring no one goes without.”

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose ﬂour

½ cup cornmeal

1 ¼ tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ cup granulated sugar, plus extra for the berries

1 ¾ cup whole milk

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

2 cups blueberries (fresh & rinsed or frozen)

Whisk together the ﬂour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and egg. Whisk until smooth.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture. Gently stir until the batter is just combined. Lumps are okay!

Toss blueberries with about 2 tbsp sugar, then fold into the batter.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and generously grease with butter. Scoop about ¼ cup batter per pancake and cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges start to set. Flip and cook until golden brown on the bottom.

Serve warm with your favorite syrup and even more berries. Enjoy!