Milestone Marks Five Years of Service, Growth, and Hope
Chattanooga TN, October 2025 – The Brainerd Community Food Pantry (BCFP), a cornerstone of community support and compassion, is proud to announce its 5th anniversary—a significant milestone that highlights five years of unwavering service to families and individuals facing food insecurity in the Brainerd area. Since October of 2020, the Pantry has become a beacon of hope and a vital resource for thousands in response to the changing landscape of hunger in East Tennessee and north Georgia.
A Legacy of Compassion
and Community
Founded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCFP was launched by a coalition of community leaders and faith-based volunteers from the Brainerd community and in partnership with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. What began as a grassroots effort by a group of passionate volunteers is now a bi weekly, well-organized, volunteer-driven food distribution system operating from Brainerd United Methodist Church at 4315 Brainerd Road. Over the past five years, the Pantry has served more than one million meals to almost 25,000 families to ensure that no family in the Brainerd area goes hungry.
Powered by Volunteers
and Partnerships
The success of BCFP, at its heart, is a story of community generosity. More than 100 volunteers, ranging from retirees to high school students, donate hundreds of hours annually to unload trucks, sort donations, pack boxes, and greet clients with dignity and respect. Food provided through our partnership with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank ensures a diverse selection of nutritious groceries available at each bi-weekly distribution.
Looking to the Future
The need for food assistance remains high in Tennessee, with recent studies indicating that over 900,000 Tennesseans face food insecurity according to data from Feeding America. Additional food costs are increasing at every turn. When the BCFP opened in October of 2020 the cost to feed a family a single meal was $2.64, today the same amount of food costs $7.55 per family.
The Pantry’s anniversary is not just a reflection of past achievements but also a call for renewed commitment. Community members are invited to volunteer and donate funds or shelf-stable food. Businesses and civic organizations are encouraged to partner with the Pantry, sponsoring food drives or supporting outreach initiatives.
“As we celebrate five years, we’re not just looking back. We’re looking ahead—to a day when everyone in the Brainerd neighborhood has a full plate,” said Bess Steverson, Chairman of the BCFP Board.
Visit our website for more information to volunteer and donate at www.brainerdfoodpantry.com, or email us at brainerdfoodpantry@gmail.com.