The Chattanooga Area Food Bank remains in full emergency response as families across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia face uncertainty about when and how much November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be issued.
More than 120,000 people across the Food Bank’s service area rely on SNAP each month. With benefits delayed and partial payments underway, working families are turning to the charitable food network in record numbers. CAFB activated its emergency response plan in mid-October, ordering truckloads of food, expanding staff and volunteer shifts, and extending hours at its Foxwood Food Center and partner pantries across the region.
“Food pantries across our region are seeing longer lines and new faces,” says Melissa Blevins, President & CEO of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. “Families who have never needed help before are walking through our doors because their SNAP benefits haven’t arrived. Even as the government reopens, the reality is that people are still waiting, and our network is doing everything possible to keep food accessible for every neighbor who needs it.”
Early data from the first week of the SNAP disruption show a sharp increase in need across all 20 counties served by the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. While each community looks different, the trends show more families seeking help, many for the first time, and more children are being served than recent years.
- Network demand is rising: CAFB partner agencies placed 28% more orders than the same week in 2024.
- Foxwood Food Center: Served 54% more households and 68% more children than the same week in 2024; nearly one in five households were first-time visitors.
Across Southeast Tennessee: Partners are reporting double- digit increases, such as:
- Red Bank Community Food Pantry (Hamilton County) served 52% more families.
- The Caring Place (Bradley County) saw a 53% increase over the same week in 2024.
- Morton Memorial (Marion County) served over 300 families on Saturday, nearly triple its normal turnout.
Across Northwest Georgia: Partners are reporting increases in first-time visitors and overall need, such as:
- Multiple pantries in Chattooga, Walker, Whitfield, and Murray counties report first-time visitors doubling since early November.
- Mount Vernon UMC (Whitfield County) now opens every Saturday after seeing triple its usual turnout.
- Helping Hands Ending Hunger’s (HHEH) school-based and mobile pantries report 50% more families requesting food from schools and double attendance at mobile sites.
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank’s emergency operations remain active to meet the surge. Last week, CAFB added drivers, warehouse staff, and administrative support and expanded volunteer coverage from 260 to 585 shifts to keep pace with demand. Partners across both states are expanding hours, adding mobile distributions, and coordinating with the Food Bank to keep food flowing to every community.
As part of these efforts, CAFB also delivered 110 emergency food boxes to the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport to support TSA employees and air traffic controllers affected by the federal government shutdown.
“This crisis won’t end when federal benefits return. We’re preparing for a new normal, with higher needs lasting well beyond this moment,” adds Blevins. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our volunteers, donors, and partners, we can continue showing up for families who depend on us.”
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank will continue coordinating with federal and state agencies as the partial SNAP benefit process unfolds and will adjust operations as needed to expand capacity and support partner pantries across its 20-county network.
For individuals and families in need of food assistance, the Food Bank’s Find Food tool provides an updated list of local pantries and distribution sites across the region:
The most effective ways to help right now are:
- Give: Your financial contribution helps the Food Bank purchase at scale.
- Volunteer: Your service helps fill critical shifts at the Food Bank’s warehouse or partner pantries.
- Use your voice: If someone you know needs help, direct them to the Find Food tool on the Food Bank’s website