MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — A nonprofit food bank that has served Rutherford County since the 1980s may be forced to close its doors due to federal budget cuts.
Nourish Food Bank, which operates three different locations across Rutherford and Davidson Counties, has launched an emergency fundraising campaign to stay afloat after losing 15% of its budget from federal resources. "We're typically doing around 30-60 families a day, depending on the day," said Norman Hanks, Executive Director of Nourish Food Bank.
Over four decades, the organization has grown to become one of the only direct service food pantries in Middle Tennessee, providing essential supplies to those in need. "Canned goods, dry goods, and some frozen meat has been available recently," Hanks explained.
The food bank operates on a simple principle: "If someone walks in and says they're hungry, we're going to make sure they leave with food," said Hanks.
But now, the organization itself needs assistance. Specifically, Nourish says they're reeling from cuts to the USDA's various food bank programs that provide food and funding that they've come to rely on. "We've been around for 40+ years, and I've never been this nervous. I've never been this scared for what our future looks like," Hanks admitted.
The cuts have arrived at a particularly difficult time, as the organization reports seeing a record number of people requesting their services. "We're not able to access the same amount of food we've been able to access for the past three years, which is truly affecting how we serve our clients," said Hanks.
The financial situation has become dire for the nonprofit. "Currently, we have about a month left of funding in our bank account right now," Hanks revealed.
Nourish has started a social media donation campaign in hopes of bridging the gap until their traditionally stronger end-of-year donations arrive around the Christmas holiday season. "If we don't hit the mark on this social media fundraising campaign, we very well might have to close our doors," warned Hanks.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Hanks remains hopeful that with community support, Nourish can continue its mission. "We're doing everything we can to keep our doors open and keep serving our community, hopefully for the next 40 years," he said.
Those interested in supporting Nourish Food Bank's fundraising campaign can find more information here.
Do you know of other agencies and nonprofits impacted by federal budget cuts? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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