The Junior Leagues of Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City will hold their 33rd annual food drive at area Food City locations on Saturday, April 15. The Food Drive benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia. Food City has co-sponsored and promoted the food drive every year. 

The need for food is high in our area, so the local Junior Leagues work together annually to combat food insecurity. 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 donating food on April 15. 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 15, 2023. This year's goal is to collect 20,000 pounds of food. 

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia will receive food donations from store locations in their respective regions. The Food Banks distribute food through agency partners and direct service programs. Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia are members of Feeding America, the Nation's largest Food Bank Network. 

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 has led the effort to end hunger in Northeast Tennessee since 1986. It is the only food bank serving the eight-county region incorporating Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties. Their mission is to feed the hungry in Northeast Tennessee by securing and distributing food and engaging our community in the fight to end hunger through regional partnerships, programs, and education. In addition to serving partner agencies, Second Harvest administers programs that directly benefit individuals and families at risk for hunger. During the Calendar year 2020, Second Harvest Food Bank distributed 15,155,025 pounds of food in Northeast Tennessee, the equivalent of 12,629,188 meals provided to people in need of hunger relief in our eight-county region. Visit the Food Bank's website, www.netfoodbank.org, for more information or call (423)279-0430. 

Feeding Southwest Virginia is the largest food supplier for people struggling with hunger in Southwest Virginia. Feeding SWVA serves people who need help with food in 26 counties and nine cities, including many localities among Virginia's poorest. Established in 1981, their mission is to feed Southwest Virginia's hungry through a network of partners and engage our region in the fight to end hunger. Feeding SWVA works with over 350 partner programs to distribute millions of pounds of food annually. In the fiscal year 2019, Feeding SWVA distributed over 20 million pounds of food and served over 112,000 people per month. To learn more, visit feedingswva.org or call (276) 628-9266.

About Food City: Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 150 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.