Food Pop Food Giveaway Marks One Year

Today, we at Metro Social Services (MSS) recognize one year since launching our Food Pop Up food giveaway program.

Since its inception in November 2024, we've given away more than 2,700 food boxes and food bags to residents and families of Davidson County who lack access to food.

This critical and life-saving program was born out of MSS' report "The High Cost of Low Wages in Nashville" and our food desert report "Hunger In Nashville" that discovered:

• 1-in-5 Nashville children suffer from food insecurity
• Over 30% of single moms face food insecurity
• Average annual client income of MSS clients - $11,015
• 23.0% of the population in 37208 is below the federal poverty threshold, compared to 11.1% of Davidson County overall.
• Overall, 7.2% of Davidson County households receive SNAP benefits; in 37208, 18.5% of households receive cash public assistance or SNAP

We started the program as a drive-thru service at our location but as we approached the summer of 2025, we realized we needed to go directly to where the acute need is - food deserts - instead of inviting people to come to us. We accelerated the frequency of the program as food insecurity increased over the summer and as SNAP benefits were disrupted during the government shutdown.

"We are relieved and grateful that SNAP benefits are resuming but please understand that the food crisis existed prior to that. We will continue our high priority food giveaways and other food access opportunities for Nashville residents, seniors, disabled, and families, until the crisis subsides," said Renée Pratt, executive director of Metro Social Services. "We are grateful for the deep commitment and support of Mayor Freddie O'Connell and the Metro Council to feed Nashville."

How We Feed Nashville (a look at all of our feeding programs/initiatives)

• Food Pop Ups
• Annual: Thanksgiving and Christmas food giveaways
• Annual Family Fun Day
• 60+ year-old Home Meal Delivery program (seniors and disabled)
• "Metro Meals", drive-thru food box pickup for Metro employees facing food insecurity, launched last Friday
• "Pet Parents" program, partnership with SAFPAW (Southern Alliance for Pets and Animal Welfare), providing 300 meals every Saturday since July for pet parents who are unhoused and/or living below the poverty level
• Clients, enrolled in our case management system, and need quick meals during office appointments

How Much We Fed Nashville:

• Food Pop Ups - 2,700 (and counting)
• Pet Parents - 4,500 meals to-date
• "Metro Meals" - 300 to-date
• Annual Thanksgiving, Christmas, Family Fun Day activities 2024-2025 - 1,750
• How many clients we feed in our office during appointments - Monthly average= 281