Second Harvest Food Bank hit with cuts as federal government makes changes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Federal aid cuts have come to Middle Tennessee - this time landing on the doorstep of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Newschannel5's Carrie Sharp learned Tuesday the non-profit will see a 30% reduction in aid from the USDA in the next quarter which amounts to 700,000 pounds of food, worth $600,000.

It's important to know that the cuts are not financial, but actual food that will no longer be delivered from the federal government. According to Second Harvest, 1 in 8 Middle Tennesseans face food insecurity. This week, it was announced that 21 tractor-loads of food from the USDA - worth $722,000 - were canceled as they were on their way to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

That cancellation represents more than 377,000 pounds of food that were originally set to be delivered to East Tennessee families between April and July. Second Harvest says it's doing what it can to replace those products.

Community support is more important than ever. And on Wednesday, April 2, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee will host its Generous Helpings fundraiser at Marathon Music Works. From 6:00 - 8:30 PM, you can sample some of the best food Nashville has to offer - all while helping the food bank. Proceeds will benefit the grocery rescue program, which rescues frozen meat, produce, dairy, and non-perishable food items from more than 300 grocery stores. 

Tickets are $81.75 each. You can purchase those here.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email us at newsroom@newschannel5.com.

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Adventures in Iceland: Tourists credited with saving Iceland after economic collapse

My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!

-Rhori Johnston