Nashville hosts citywide food drive as SNAP needs drag on
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Nashville is hosting a citywide food drive as the ongoing federal government shutdown continues to sideline critical SNAP payments.
Why it matters: Nearly 60,000 Nashvillians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to get their groceries.
The latest: On Tuesday, President Trump said food benefits will only get paid once the shutdown ends despite court rulings ordering the White House to provide at least partial SNAP funds.
- The announcement amps up confusion around the availability of aid. The administration had previously committed to allocating some SNAP funding.
Zoom in: City leaders, nonprofits, faith groups and restaurants have teamed up to fill the federal funding gap and meet the urgent need.
- Gov. Bill Lee announced $5 million in state funding for food banks on Tuesday, allocated based on regional needs.
How to help: Residents can donate food to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee at designated spots around the city, including all police precincts and all libraries except the downtown branch.
- Find more ways to give online.
How to get help: A catalog of local resources is available at Nashville.gov/Food.
- Second Harvest has an online food locator tracking grocery baskets, food pantries and prepared meals.
- The Nashville Farmers' Market Fresh Bucks program matches spending up to $100 for customers using EBT cards to buy fresh food. (Shoppers can get up to $100 in tokens to buy more.)
- The Metro Action Commission offers assistance with rent, utilities and other expenses that might sap food budgets.
Go deeper: Review the full list of resources online.