Daphne Nwobike, Staff Writer
It’s 8:50 a.m. on a Monday, and several neighbors are already waiting outside the Community Action Committee’s doors. While volunteers restock the shelves and prepare the pantry for the day, the steady presence of community members waiting outside underscores an undeniable reality: demand for food assistance has surged over the past year, and local nonprofits are working hard to meet these needs with limited resources.
In a Sewanee Purple article last spring, local pantry directors raised concerns about potential reductions to federal food assistance programs and their effects on small rural communities. Organizations in Sewanee and surrounding communities are now confronting the immediate challenge of supporting the increased number of community members seeking help.
The Community Action Committee (CAC), whose mission is to provide crisis assistance and meet basic human needs, has seen that increase firsthand. In 2023 and 2024, the pantry served roughly 15-20 households per week. In 2025, that number shifted dramatically. “In 2025, we honestly started to see an average of 10 households a day, and some days we met 25 families,” said Sarah Edmonds, director of the CAC. “Right now, the food pantry supports around 45 families a week, which reaches even more individuals as visitors share their offerings with the rest of their household.”
The pantry’s neighbors span a wide range of demographics. Of those who reported data, 28% are under 18 and 36% are over 50, meaning both children and older adults make up a significant portion of those served. Community members range from university staff to seminarians to families from Grundy County and the broader tri-county area.
When asked what may be driving the increase, Edmonds said the answer is not always evident. “When I talk with other food pantry coordinators, we are always puzzled—it’s hard to say what exactly causes an increase in food pantry visits among our neighbors,” she said. “I do believe more individuals are finding out about our services therefore we are meeting more people. We have some people who hear about our financial assistance for utility bills and also share that they are in need of food, so they continue to come back for that service. There are some who are in need for a short period of time, and we are here to help them get to the other side.”
Although the growing number of neighbors served as a signal that more people are finding support, it also highlights mounting pressure. The CAC receives food items from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, Kroger, the South Cumberland Farmers Market and Sewanee Dining. Outside these channels, community donations are critical to expanding offerings, but they fluctuate weekly.
For the CAC, keeping shelves stocked has become its primary focus. “One of the biggest challenges is keeping up the food supply due to the increasing demand,” Edmonds said. “Since we are limited on how much food we can physically deliver to the pantry at a time, we are never able to receive as much as we need with a variety of offerings. We hope an order will last a week, but it often moves through the pantry more quickly than anticipated. Currently, we do not have a sustainable food delivery system, so we have a limited capacity.”
In Monteagle, organizations such as Morton Memorial are navigating similar pressures. Deeply committed to alleviating food insecurity on the Plateau, Morton Memorial provides emergency food supplies to local families. The organization recently received a South Cumberland Community Fund grant to support plans for a new facility that would give guests the option to select food items in a choice-based model while also receiving wraparound services, such as applying for public benefits.
Edmonds emphasized that community support remains essential to sustaining this work. “Right now, the biggest way to support CAC is through donations,” she said. “We are in constant need of financial contributions to keep operations going, and also food and hygiene items to keep the pantry stocked. Every dollar makes a difference.”