The Junior Leagues of Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City will hold their 36th annual food drive at area Food City locations on Saturday, April 18. The Food Drive will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia. Food City has co-sponsored and promoted the food drive each year for 36 years. Participating stores this year will include Abingdon, Bristol, Piney Flats, Weber City, Johnson City, Kingsport, Church Hill, Gray, Jonesborough, Elizabethton, and Erwin.

The local Junior Leagues work together annually to help end food insecurity in our region. Our Junior Leagues are important because they provide women with the tools and resources to become effective leaders and make a meaningful impact in their communities. Junior League members encourage everyone to get involved in hunger relief by participating. Pre-made bags will be available for purchase at Food City for only $15 and other donations can be dropped off at participating locations on April 18, 2026. This year's goal is to collect 20,000 pounds (about the weight of a school bus) of food. 

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia, both members of Feeding America, will receive food donations from store locations in their respective regions. The Food Banks will distribute this donated food through agency partners and direct service programs.

The Junior League is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Junior Leagues reach out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to volunteerism. 

In addition to donating to the food drive, you can also help by making a monetary donation to your local food bank. More information is available at www.netfoodbank.org and www.faswva.org.

Junior League of Kingsport is a non-profit, all-women’s organization committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. http://jlkingsport.org

The Junior League of Bristol, TN-VA, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League also reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism. Website http://jlbristol.org

The Junior League of Johnson City is a non-profit organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Website http://juniorleagueofjc.com

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee: Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee’s (SHFBNT) mission is to feed the hungry in Northeast Tennessee by securing donations of food from national and local manufacturers, grocers, and individuals then redistribute them to partner food pantries. Additionally, SHFBNT programs provide hunger relief services for an average of 43,000 food-insecure individuals each month in Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Washington, and Unicoi Counties. SHFBNT is a 501c3 organization located in Kingsport, TN and is a member of Feeding America, the Nation’s largest Food Bank network. For more information visit www.netfoodbank.org.

Feeding Southwest Virginia is a partner of Feeding America: For the last four decades, the Food Bank’s ultimate mission has been to nourish neighbors, engage community partners, and develop solutions to address food insecurity. The primary function of the Food Bank is to secure and distribute large quantities of food for the 1 in 7 food insecure neighbors. Over $34.2 million worth of food and grocery related products are channeled annually through approximately 200 agency partners, which operate 400 meal programs, throughout our 26-county and nine-city service region. Visit www.feedingswva.org for more information. 

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 164 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.