Sumner Dems Give Back: Food Drive for Local Pantries

At the end of October, the Sumner County Democratic Party launched its food drive benefiting Feed Sumner and Gallatin Shalom Zone. While the food drive will run through early December, the response has already been overwhelming. Community members have generously donated a variety of non-perishable items to help support our local food banks.

SCDP launched the food drive in response to the SNAP funding cuts in November, because we believe that no child should ever go hungry. We also believe in supporting our neighbors, and that our community is safer and stronger when everyone has reliable access to food.

When SNAP recipients received little to no benefits at the beginning of November due to the government shutdown, food pantries across the country saw a huge surge in demand. In Sumner County, an estimated 6.6% of households receive SNAP benefits. This equates to more than 5,000 families in our community.

Although the shutdown has ended and SNAP funding has been restored, our local food pantries still need support. For example, Feed Sumner serves over 500 families per month. Another local pantry, Gallatin CARES, serves over 850 families monthly. 

Furthermore, the average SNAP recipient receives $187 per month. For many, this falls short of what’s needed to adequately cover groceries and necessities–– especially as prices continue to rise, and the holiday season brings additional expenses.

We encourage those who are able to consider donating to a local food pantry or dropping off items in one of the Blessing Boxes located throughout Sumner County. For those interested in contributing to our food drive, we’re collecting non-perishable items such as:

• Canned vegetables

• Soups and stews

• Pasta

• Ramen

• Mac and cheese

• Peanut butter

• Canned and dried beans 

Donations can be dropped off at the SCDP office on Tuesdays between 9am-1pm, and Fridays from 1pm-5pm (except for the Friday after Thanksgiving). The drive will continue through the first week of December.

If you or someone you know needs food assistance, view our Community Resources page to find an organization near you that can help.