As the holiday season approaches, churches, nonprofits and community partners across the Chattanooga region are working to ensure no family goes hungry.
A new “Food Resources” guide for November highlights dozens of places where residents can receive free groceries and meals throughout the month.
One of the most consistent providers is Action Church in East Ridge, which operates its F.A.I.T.H. (Food Assistance in the Home) Pantry every Tuesday at 1213 Spring Creek Road. The pantry opens at 1 p.m. and remains open until at least 4 p.m. Anyone in need of groceries may shop once per week, regardless of address or income, though delivery is not available. Residents can call 423 667-5457 with questions.
Hope House and the Bethlehem Center also offer recurring weekly support, along with several other community-based ministries.
The calendar includes special food distributions and holiday-themed events throughout the month. Recurring resources include The Core, which provides Saturday assistance at its Rossville Boulevard location, and Elisabeth Lee United Methodist Church, which hosts weekly Thursday food distributions from noon to 2 p.m.
American Legion and St. Thaddeus Church are among several other organizations offering scheduled community outreach events during November.
The guide also lists multiple food pantries and ministries across Northwest Georgia counties, providing an expanded safety net for families in the tri-state area. Among them are Helping Hands of Paulding County in Dallas, Lighthouse Food Pantry and St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank, all of which provide groceries and household staples to families in need.
Neighbor to Neighbor in Cedartown and the Floyd County Baptist Association Food Pantry in Rome continue to assist residents through weekly and monthly programs.
Other regional resources include Catoosa County DFCS Food Distribution in Ringgold, Summerville First Baptist Church Pantry and Must Ministries in Marietta. Each site operates on varying schedules, with many offering weekly or biweekly grocery pickups.
Residents can also use two statewide tools to locate nearby food assistance programs: foodfinder.us and feedinggeorgia.org. Both websites allow users to search by ZIP code to find open pantries, soup kitchens and free meal programs throughout Tennessee and Georgia.
Organizers encourage anyone facing food insecurity to reach out for help.
“No family should have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table,” the guide reads.