KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, and Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is asking for help from the community as they prepare for the holiday.
The nonprofit helps keep groceries on the shelves of food banks across the region, while also hosting food drives where people can get boxes of food if they need them. Rising prices at the grocery store and beyond led has caused the price of their services to rise, too.
Second Harvest said they need donations of money to continue helping families eat. In June, they said they said their fleet of 33 trucks has gotten more expensive to manage. Filling up one of their tractor-trailers cost around $1,362, they said. Annually, they spend around $200,000 to fuel the fleet.
They also said that in 2020, the cost of chicken was around $1.79 per pound. But in 2022, they said it increased by almost 75% and now costs around $3.12 per pound.
Spaghetti's price tag has also increased. In 2021, it cost around $0.45 per pound. In just one year, they said it increased by almost 55% to $0.70 per pound.
They said that on November 17, they are planning to host a Thanksgiving distribution event where people can collect boxes filled with turkeys, hams, traditional Thanksgiving fixings and also fresh produce.
It is expected to happen at their warehouse from 10 a.m. through 12 p.m. or until the last box is given out. The warehouse is located at 136 Harvest Lane in Maryville. Anyone who wants to make sure there are enough boxes for everyone can donate online to help support Second Harvest.