On August 26, 2025, members of the Knox County Community Gardens and Growers’ Alliance gathered for our monthly membership meeting to focus on an essential topic: local food distribution and aggregation. We were treated to Ariel Allen, Food Systems Manager at United Way of Greater Knoxville, who shared valuable insight into the city, county, and grassroots efforts that are shaping the way food moves through and is distributed to our community. Ariel’s presentation highlighted the importance of collaboration across sectors—bringing together farmers, nonprofits, food pantries, and community organizations to create stronger, more efficient systems for connecting fresh food with the people who need it most.
The information shared during this meeting is critical for anyone working in food access and community health. Farmers and growers benefit from stronger aggregation systems that help them reach more families; food pantries and distribution partners gain the tools to coordinate resources and reduce duplication; and community organizations are better equipped to meet the growing need for reliable, equitable food access across Knoxville and Knox County.
Resources from the Meeting:
- Food Distribution Working Group Presentation – Knox Garden Alliance
- Knoxville/Knox County Food Distribution Calendar: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jJgJ-Zph9lI5Ck_SSKQV3eAhKJKPUMbksvCt7LKrroM/edit?usp=sharing
- Distribution Working Group Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TtrDMYLMxHvk5A_MA2HueSWrz-3XFcVd?usp=sharing
- Distribution Capacity Survey: https://forms.gle/JV7sFCVZhc83voEP7