UT-Battelle provides $50,000 grant to Second Harvest

A $50,000 grant from UT-Battelle to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee has helped restock food supplies to the agency after it donated much of its previous supply to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The UT-Battelle grant enabled Second Harvest to restock its supply with enough food for 158,000 meals, according to Tom von Berg, the agency's director of development.

Second Harvest was able to obtain 588 cases of chunk tuna, 980 cases of chunk chicken, 1,200 cases of peanut butter and 170 cases of corn. Second Harvest also qualified for a $500 discount and was able to save $550 in freight costs by using its own equipment and personnel to collect the food order.

UT-Battelle's contribution will enable Second Harvest to provide balanced nutrition for children, adults and seniors in East Tennessee for the next three months, according to von Berg.

Second Harvest has provided 80,000 meals to evacuees of the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina hit in August.

ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.