One late October afternoon, Heather Hammond steps into the quiet gymnasium of the Red Bank United Methodist Church.

As the coordinator of the Red Bank Community Food Pantry, Hammond handles many logistics, including organizing volunteers and securing donations. Later that day, she'll need to ensure a pickup for 44 crates of bread.

On the first and third Thursday of every month, this empty gym transforms into a bustling hub full of volunteers setting up plastic folding tables to hold a bevy of apples, tomatoes, squash, rice, bread, canned goods and more.

Due to the federal government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of people in Tennessee are expected to lose food assistance this month, although two federal court orders on Friday may affect that outcome. Those who rely on funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to purchase food for their families can no longer be sure of access to those benefits.

Hammond said the Red Bank pantry is one of many prepared to help as many people as possible. The impact could be devastating. She said there will be mothers who will be forced to choose between paying for rent or buying food for their families.

People can line up at the church from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 6, Nov. 20, Dec. 4 and Dec. 18 to enter the gym. There is a brief sign-up sheet, which includes a request for ZIP code, household names and income, but does not require proof beyond that. Then folks can grab a grocery cart that's provided to collect groceries. Hammond said she is always looking for volunteers and donations, and that the team is especially in need of more protein options like Vienna sausages, tuna fish and peanut butter.

Once people take the cart to their car to load up, volunteers offer packed lunches to go, as well. Hammond has a vision to plant a community garden in front of the church to help bring the community together and provide food for the food pantry.

(READ MORE: Marsha Blackburn supports stopgap food assistance funding)

Hammond feels hopeful about the people of Chattanooga stepping up to help out in this uncertain time.

"Chattanooga is very unique and very beautiful, in my opinion, in that way," she said.

Those interested in volunteering or contributing can go online to find a list of food pantries and other resources across Hamilton County.

Chattanooga Area Food Bank

2009 Curtain Pole Rd.

Ally Seward, Hamilton County's community impact manager at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, said her organization is looking for volunteers. Shifts are listed on the website where people can sign up directly to do everything from general warehouse support to stocking and sorting.

Staff photo Lyric Lewin / A box holding shelf-stable foods is seen outside of the Red Bank Food Pantry on Oct. 24, 2025.

Red Bank Community Food Pantry

3800 Dayton Blvd.

Those interested can reach out to Heather Hammond via email ([email protected]) to volunteer. The Red Bank pantry needs help organizing food on the shelves and recruiting businesses to hold food drives. They also are looking for volunteers to find corporate sponsors and pick up food to bring to the pantry.

Chattanooga Free Store

1701 Dodson Avenue, Suite A

The Free Store is a mutual aid group that takes donations ranging from clothes to school supplies as well as pads, tampons and diapers. Behind the store is a community fridge that accepts shelf stable food, along with plant-based milk, fresh and frozen produce and bottled water.

La Paz

809 S. Willow St.

The team at La Paz is also in need of volunteers and has a community fridge at its office location where people can leave donations.

Gaining Ground Grocery

1918 Union Ave.

Callie Bennett is the grocery manager at Gaining Ground Grocery. Bennett said the grocery store, which partners with 20 local farms, will double EBT points (just like the Main Street Farmers Market). The store is also taking donations for its community fridge, as well as financial contributions so it can buy more produce from farmers to give out to people in need.

Contact restaurants reporter Lyric Lewin at [email protected] or 423-757-6216.

Contributed photo / Volunteers pose for a photo at the Red Bank Community Food Pantry.