GRUNDY COUNTY FOOD BANK
Taking a Bite Out of Hunger
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We are grateful for the outpouring of support from people everywhere to food banks including our own during the pandemic but now that the news stories no longer show long lines waiting for food the donations to our food bank have dwindled down to a trickle. And although joblessness has declined markedly there are still many people with circumstances such as age or disability that prevent them from working who still need food assistance. The additional donations our food bank received in 2020-21 enabled us to step up and provide a higher level of food assistance to our clients even in the face of declining food availability from our traditional sources. For the first time we achieved a desired goal of spending more than 80% (actually 83%) of our budget on the food program versus overhead and fundraising expense in 2021. We hope to be able to maintain these gains in 2022 but we can't achieve either without adequate funding.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Food Bank Program
We provide food from purchases made from the Chattanooga Food Bank and the USDA food program as well as food obtained from the Feeding America network, area farm producers, and retail grocers. Every Tuesday morning, volunteers come early and prepare to man their assigned station, including a volunteer to help them out to their car, if needed.
Despite the improving economy, Grundy County continues to be economically disadvantaged. According to 2017 Census statistics more than 40% of Grundy County families have incomes no higher than 150% of poverty level, making them eligible for our services.
Education & Literacy Program
The primary focus of this program is the distribution of books for child literacy and to establish a love of reading. It is run by a volunteer who collects and provides books that Food Bank clients may take free of charge. Other educational materials, including nutritional and food preparation information, are provided on an occasional basis. Costs are minimal.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of monthly financial status reports completed on time
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
By financial accountability policy the Treasurer must present a Financial Status Report for previous month at monthly board meeting. This metric tracks on-time completion of the reports.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, Families, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Food Bank Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Total number of people provided food each year. Factors affecting number are (1) the economy, (2) availability of food to distribute, (3) how well we do in making it available.
Number of research or policy analysis products developed, e.g., reports, briefs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, Families, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Food Bank Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Record of families and the amount of food received each year. The totals on the left represent the number of client families receiving food that year.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We want to build a lasting relationship with our community in order to build a strong local sponsorship and support of the food bank for years to come. One hope is to be able to provide expanded services in our new location, which we hope to move into later in 2022. Another is to build support relationships with churches in our county. We currently have one church that is providing continual support, but we need other churches across the county that we can refer people to when our food bank is closed.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We are working with the mayor and county commissioners to find or build a building that will have good visibility and easy access for our community. We are working with a county leadership group to raise funds for needed equipment, potentially including a new truck, and we have establised a plan and schedule for soliciting all the municipalities and businesses in the county for contributions. We also have a series of fundraisers scheduled throughout the year.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have some local residents who have agreed to sponsor such a project, providing some backing and labor for improvements, once a site is acquired. For a small, private, volunteer-operated organization, our volunteers are quite determined to achieve a successful outcome so that we can continue to provide our neighbors the additional food resources they need.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have been attending County Commissioner meetings regularly for the past year, to keep our requirements before them. We have engaged with the county leadership group to help fund our other equipment needs and to help with grant requests. We have applied to a regional community fund for a grant for some small dollar, but still essential, equipment needs.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
People who reside within and immediately adjacent to Grundy County Tennessee who are dealing with food insecurity. This is a rural community and a large proportion of our clients are elderly.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Paper surveys, Client interviews,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, Identify food product needs., To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
The level of COVID infection within the local population and the degree of concern for personal safety among our clients has risen and fallen over time as it has across the country. We have periodically polled our clients their opinion whether they prefer to have food brought out to their cars or whether they prefer to come inside the food bank and select their food items. Additionally, during the pandemic we have added basic staples to the food products we have been distributing. We have surveyed our clients to determine if we are distributing the right products and at the right frequency.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our board, Our volunteers,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
We have no objective information to answer this question. We assume that we are pleasing the majority of clients with the decisions made based upon their inputs but displeasing a minority of them. We also believe that in providing the products they need at the right frequency we are better using the money and other resources available to us to help our clients.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, We lack the resources and technical sophistication to conduct a thorough client feedback program.,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
GRUNDY COUNTY FOOD BANK
Board of directorsas of 02/04/2022
Mrs. Theresia Campbell
Becky Miller
Glen Lance
Retired
Theresia Campbell
Retired
Diana Foster
Retired Store Mgr.
LaShawnda Rollins
Gerald Crift
Organizational demographics
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Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: