Second Harvest’s Project Thanksgiving aims to feed more than 6,000 local families

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee officially began its annual Project Thanksgiving campaign to feed the region.

Second Harvest and WCQR leaders announced the start of the campaign in Kingsport on Tuesday. 2022 marks WCQR’s 14th year participating in the project.

Food bank leadership said the goal this year is to provide 6,200 Thanksgiving meal boxes. As of Tuesday, enough money had already been raised for 1,800.

$25 donations provide families with a food box that can feed a family of four with a complete meal kit.

“We’re gonna kick it off on Thursday with the radiothon, thanks to WCQR,” said Second Harvest Food Bank Executive Director Rhonda Chafin. “We really encourage our community to get involved. For $25 to sponsor a family for a Thanksgiving meal, I think we can all get involved and do that.”

WCQR’s radiothon kicks off at 6 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 3 and goes until 6 p.m.

“When we ask people to give to Project Thanksgiving, every single cent goes to Second Harvest Food Bank to be able to make sure that families are fed,” WCQR General Manager Adam McCain said. “This does not come to the radio station whatsoever, every gift that comes in is to be able to feed families.”

Donations can be made online or by calling the radiothon at 888-477-5676.

“Whenever you think about getting together with your family this Thanksgiving, just know that there are families that are going to go hungry without our help,” McCain said. “And so to be able to give just $25 to be able to feed families, to be able to show families that they are loved. To be able to let them know that somebody in their community was thinking about them.”

If you are interested in receiving a food box through Project Thanksgiving, contact Second Harvest at 423-279-0430 or click here.

“This is just a great way to make sure that neighbors in need have a Thanksgiving meal,” Chafin said. “So many people in our region are food insecure, and they don’t know where their next meal will come from. But this campaign, Project Thanksgiving, will assure that families have that Thanksgiving meal, that nutritious Thanksgiving meal, for their family.”