Nonprofit Rushes to Feed Tennesseans as SNAP Benefits Disrupted

In November 2025, the Nashville Food Project, a local nonprofit that provides fresh food to other organizations, faced a stark increase in demand for its services. This was due to the announcement that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would not be extended that month, affecting over 690,000 Tennesseans.

Despite the government reopening on November 13th, the impacts of the shutdown were expected to linger for months. The Nashville Food Project, which partners with over 50 local groups, saw its weekly meal distribution jump by around 1,000. Where the group had been giving out 5 food boxes a week, that number skyrocketed to 5 per day.

However, the community rallied to support the nonprofit's efforts. Donations of canned goods and other non-perishable items surged, with the organization receiving 500 pounds of food per day, up from 200 pounds per week before the shutdown. The group's chief culinary chef, Bianca Morton, expressed pride in how the community stepped up to "bridge the gap" caused by the SNAP disruption.

While the situation remains fluid, the Nashville Food Project is committed to expanding its food recovery and distribution efforts to ensure Tennesseans have access to healthy meals, even in the face of government benefit disruptions.