KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee said the nonprofit raised more than $1.5 million total during a special event meant to raise funds and help guarantee families across the region had access to food.
On Thursday, it hosted the 13th annual Double Your Donation Day. During the event, sponsors pledged to match donations dollar to dollar, up to $750,000. According to a release, Second Harvest raised a total of $1.51 million during the event — indicating donations surpassed the amount sponsors pledged to match.
According to the release, the amount is enough to serve around 4.5 million meals across 18 counties in East Tennessee.
The nonprofit said it can provide three meals for every $1 donated, and operates several different programs. Some programs supply food for pantries in schools, while others focus on connecting with seniors who may experience food insecurity. Second Harvest also has a mobile distribution program, traveling to different areas with trucks of food to distribute to different communities.
Although Double Your Donation Day has ended, people in East Tennessee can still support the nonprofit's mission by donating online. People can also volunteer to sort or distribute food by signing up online. Second Harvest also accepts food donations through food drives.