Nashville, TN – In time for national Hunger Action Month, Metro Social Services (MSS) announces the expansion of its Food Pop Up food giveaway series. MSS is hosting a food giveaway Saturday, Sept.20, at 9am. The event, hosted in conjunction with Galilee Missionary Baptist Church and Second Harvest, will be held at Galilee, 2021 Herman St, Nashville, TN.
MSS has noted an increase in client requests for help getting access to food and a continuance of food insecurity. The program’s new focus is to specifically address and go directly into Nashville’s food deserts across the city’s four quadrants where the need is dire. Previously, anyone in need from across the county came to MSS’ headquarters to pick up a food box.
MSS Executive Director Renée Pratt selected North Nashville for phase 1 due to 37208 having the most food deserts of any Davidson County zip code assessed at this time, according to the food desert report recently produced by the department’s Strategic Planning & Research team. Phase 1 will include a total of four food pop ups this fall and winter hosted at North Nashville locations. Phase 2 will launch in the spring. Details to come on the next zip codes.
“We went back the table and reworked the program so it can be more effective, proactive, and swift. The recent and rapid economic shift has deepened the hunger and desperation for so many of our families. Now, we’re taking the food directly to them and more frequently,” said Pratt. “We’ve been feeding Nashvillians through our Nutrition program for more than 60 years. As times have evolved, so too has our approach to addressing food insecurity. And I couldn’t think of a better time to do so. This effort directly aligns with Mayor Freddie O’Connell prioritizing this issue and the Metro Council’s focus on feeding Nashville families.”
The Food Pop Up series is one component of MSS’ new and larger food insecurity reduction initiative “Hunger No More Nashville”. This endeavor includes multiple tools including a detailed report examining Nashville food deserts (report to be released Sept.18).
QUICK FAQ’s
“Hunger in North Nashville: Serving the Needs of the Residents of 37208” Report
- 23.0% of the population in 37208 is below the federal poverty threshold, compared to 11.1% of Davidson County overall.
- Overall, 7.2% of Davidson County households receive SNAP benefits; in 37208, 18.5% of households receive cash public assistance or SNAP
- As in many areas of Davidson County, ZIP Code 37208 has experienced changing demographic patterns and the phenomenon of gentrification.
- Estimates indicate that as many as 57,000 people across Tennessee will lose SNAP benefits that help to overcome hunger and food insecurity for those households. Thus, SNAP cuts will hurt the most where poverty is the most severe, namely ZIP code 37208.
Source: Metro Social Services, Strategic Planning & Research team
“The High Cost of Low Wages in Nashville” 2025 Community Needs Evaluation” Report
- 1-in-10 Nashvillians is food insecure
- Half of Nashville workers earn below a living wage
- Economic hardship is widespread for Nashvillians
Source: Metro Social Services, Strategic Planning & Research team
