KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Since the beginning of the pandemic, the rate of food insecurity across East Tennessee has increased.
"We hope to bring awareness and aid to places like The Love Kitchen that we don't rely on, but other people do, and we need to be able to help those people and make a change in our community" said Claire Thaeler, a University of Tennessee student working to help feed Knoxville.
She is one of four UT students who are working together to help Knoxville fight back and recover from a devastating pandemic.
"The pandemic has affected so many people financially," she said. "I think it's important that we should help others."
The students call themselves the Campaign Cooks and their mission is to raise money through community donors, on behalf of The Love Kitchen.
The organization provides meals, clothing and emergency food assistance to people experiencing homelessness throughout Knoxville. They work alongside other organizations to provide needed services.
The students said they just want to give back to a city that they say has given them so much.
"All of us are hoping to be able to help the community of Knoxville that is already giving us so many opportunities," Thaeler said.
According to reports, 10% of Americans had food insecurities before the COVID-19 pandemic. But since the start of the pandemic, 1-in-4 families across the U.S. have struggled to put food on the table.
"You have to not only focus on yourself but also help anyone you can," Thaeler said.
According to Feeding America, in Tennessee, more than 250,000 children are currently struggling with hunger. It's one of the many reasons these four students are so passionate about the campaign to help The Love Kitchen.
"And it's important that they don't have to struggle with it," said Thaeler. "And they don't always have to worry about it. They know that there are places that they can get help."
Their campaign launches on March 17th.