KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — More than 800,000 people face hunger in Tennessee and 1 in 6 are children, according to Feeding America.
A local nonprofit, Nourish Knoxville, hosted its Winter Farmer's Market and it was a special event. It was their Nourish Kids Club Day, which happens once a month.
Nourish Kids provides an opportunity for children to engage in the local food system through educational games, demonstrations and exposure to new locally-grown foods.
Kids were able to shop for their own groceries like adults. During the event, they bought food by using a coupon from Nourish Knoxville.
"[It] teaches them budgeting," Ellie Moore, COO of Nourish Knoxville said. They get $5 to spend and they get to choose how to spend it and what to spend it on."
Nourish Knoxville dedicates one day to kids each month and during that time, the organization focuses on food access.
Moore said for people who receive governmental help, like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assitance Program) get an extra helping hand.
"Folks receiving those benefits from the government can come and shop at the farmers market," Moore said. "We actually double their dollars up to $20 to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables."
One of the owners of the Race Family Farmstead said it's important to support local but budgeting comes first.
Moore said everything that is at the farmer's market is made or grown within 150 miles of Knoxville.