NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 3, 2024) – Lifepoint Health and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee have teamed up to provide 2,800 boxes of critically needed food to communities in western North Carolina devastated by flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Food was delivered by Second Harvest to Haywood, Jackson and Swain Counties in western North Carolina, which are home to three of Lifepoint’s facilities in the state: Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, and Swain Community Hospital in Bryson City.
“We have been desperately trying to find ways to feed our people in western North Carolina – both those within the walls of our hospitals and those in our surrounding communities – for days," said Jennifer Peters, chief administrative and legal officer of Lifepoint Health and chair of the board of directors of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. “Resources in the region are scarce, and delivery of food, water and supplies can be challenging with compromised roadways throughout the area. We know Second Harvest and its ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges to feed people well and reached out to them for ideas. Nancy Keil and her team mobilized immediately, filling a truck with meals Tuesday evening and making the drive over the mountains in the middle of the night to support our teams and their communities.”
For the past seven years, Lifepoint and Second Harvest have partnered on efforts to fight food insecurity and improve overall health in middle and western Tennessee. From 2020 to 2023 alone, Lifepoint supported 32 Second Harvest Mobile Pantries, distributing over 737,000 pounds of food to more than 23,000 people in 8,000 households. The health system also has funded the purchase of more than 3 million pounds of fresh produce to ensure families have access to healthy and nutritious food. Lifepoint and Second Harvest have collaborated to tackle specific health-related initiatives as well, distributing diabetic-friendly tray packs and special food boxes that address the unique needs of those with chronic health conditions.
“Lifepoint has been a great partner to Second Harvest for many years, helping to feed thousands of food insecure individuals and families across our region,” said Nancy Keil, president and chief executive officer of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. “We believe it is important for people to come together and support – and feed – one another in times of great need. So many have helped us when we have needed additional resources to feed those across our region, and we are proud to be able to step in and support the Lifepoint team in caring for its people and communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.”
Second Harvest employees drove 300 miles through the night so thousands in Haywood, Jackson and Swain Counties could have access to needed food by lunchtime. Arriving late morning yesterday in a refrigerated truck donated to Second Harvest by Lifepoint, Second Harvest’s 2,800 boxes of food were given to Lifepoint’s teams in the region and provided to county agencies so that they could be distributed to hardest-hit areas.
About Lifepoint Health
Lifepoint Health is a leading healthcare provider that serves patients, clinicians, communities and partner organizations across the healthcare continuum. Driven by a mission of making communities healthier®, the company has a growing diversified healthcare delivery network comprised of more than 54,000 dedicated employees, 60 community hospital campuses, more than 60 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals and more than 250 additional sites of care, including managed acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers and post-acute care facilities. For more information about the company, visit www.LifepointHealth.net.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
For 46 years, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has followed its mission to “nourish and empower people so they can thrive” across the 46 counties in its service area. The non-profit food bank distributes food and other products to more than 600 partners across Middle and West Tennessee. The partners include food pantries, congregate meal sites, shelters, childcare facilities, senior centers, group homes, and youth enrichment programs. For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, its mission and programs, see secondharvestmidtn.org.
