​Forever Home for Grundy County Food Bank


by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

For years the Grundy County Food Bank has teetered on the brink of homelessness. Now, thanks to Grundy County Mayor Michael Brady, the food bank will have its first real home, a building constructed and designed with the food bank’s needs in mind. Said Brady, who explored a multitude of options and grant opportunities, “You may get 1,000 ‘no’s,’ but it’s that one ‘yes’ you work for.”

The Grundy County Food Bank is the grocery life-support mechanism for nearly 250 families. The food bank vacated operations at the old Grundy County High School vocational building due to structural issues, Brady said. Since then, the owner of a vacant Tracy City grocery store has allowed the nonprofit to use the building rent free. But the old grocery store has a leaking roof and rotting floors. “The building needs repairs,” said Grundy County Food Bank Director Tim Glover. In addition, Glover said a survey revealed need for a more central location rather than the present site at the county’s edge.

“We looked at prefab buildings and older buildings,” Brady said, but nothing suited. Brady ruled out a school system building due to high costs associated with sharing the space and installing a sprinkler system. Drawing a blank on finding affordable space, Brady applied for a Community Livability grant.

The grant didn’t come through, though. Brady talked to the governor and first lady, pleading the food bank’s case. Given the liability issues of the old grocery, Brady decided to apply for an Imminent Threat grant with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Brady got his “yes” at the end of October.

“The engineers are ready to go as soon as the contract is signed,” Brady said. He expects to break ground in late November or early December. The 6,000 square foot building designed by OLG Engineering will have 3,000 square feet dedicated to the food bank, equipped with freezers and coolers. The remaining 3,000 square feet will be for storage and expansion. Glover envisions a kitchen for demonstration and educational purposes, and maybe a soup and salad bay and a chili bay.

The $420,000 grant won’t cover the entire estimated $700,000 construction cost, Brady said. But he stressed the estimate included contingency expenses and material costs had decreased since the building was designed. Brady predicts the project will come in 10-15 percent below the estimate. “We’ll come up with the rest of the money,” Brady said. “We’re extremely close to having the money with no debt on the county.” Brady pointed to industrial development funds that could be used for infrastructure expenses and donations as funding sources.

The county donated the land for the building, a site in Coalmont at the Highway 56 and Highway 108 junction, satisfying the need for a central location. Brady said the simple design, metal and stone, will take six months at the most to complete.

The food bank has changed operations due to the pandemic. “We’ve switched to drive-thru,” Glover said. Formerly clients browsed offerings, selecting items from the various food groups according to their preferences. At the present, clients receive three boxes of groceries which include canned goods, frozen meat, produce, bread, and a small amount of dairy. The USDA has been especially generous with meat this year, according to Glover. Families will receive a Thanksgiving turkey.

What’s missing from the grocery boxes? “We need sugar and flour,” Glover stressed. “It’s rare we have any.” Donations of flour and sugar would be most welcome. Christmas cookies come to mind with the holidays just around the corner. The holiday gift of a forever home is on the way.

2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May