April 24, 2024
United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK), Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) and Real Good Kitchen Foundation (RGKF) have received nearly $1 million to launch two programs that will help establish an equitable and sustainable food system for Knoxville-area residents and benefit entrepreneurs.
The programs, Healthy Food Financing Initiative and Knox Good Food Fund, will be boosted by a grant of $999,591 available through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Partnerships Program for the next three years.
“This monumental investment will revolutionize our approach to food equity, enhancing the health and well-being of residents across Knoxville,” said Kimberly Pettigrew, UWGK director of food systems. “United Way of Greater Knoxville is committed to building a community-led initiative that strategically deploys resources to address our underserved population’s most pressing challenges. We are excited to embark on this project with supportive and informed partners including KCDC and RGKF.”
United Way of Greater Knoxville applied for the grant after finding that more than 20% of food-insecure households reported interest in starting a food-related business but lacked the knowledge, connections or capital to launch a business.
“We are stronger when we work together, and KCDC looks forward to continuing its partnership with UWGK and RGKF as the vision for the project is realized,” said Ben Bentley, KCDC executive director and CEO. “We are leveraging partnerships and funding within the Transforming Western initiative, which includes building a second location for Real Good Kitchen.”
The new space will be in the Beaumont neighborhood and allow RGKF to expand its programs, answering residents’ requests for services that enable them to achieve their entrepreneurship dreams and economic mobility.
The Knox Healthy Food Financing Initiative is designed to empower entrepreneurs, particularly from underserved backgrounds, with technical assistance and funding. Loans and grants will be available to participants through the Knox Good Food Fund. The goal is to establish several new food businesses by the end of the grant term in 2027, increasing access to food and fostering economic opportunities in Knoxville’s vulnerable neighborhoods.
RGKF will grow its Food Business Bootcamp and Food Business Incubator Program that focus on improving the viability and sustainability of local food businesses along the food supply chain and increasing access to perishable staples and healthy food.
“We are excited to partner with UWGK and KCDC to expand our work to bring economic opportunity and good food to Knoxville residents,” said Bailey Foster, founder and executive director of Real Good Kitchen Foundation. “This grant will help us expand our capacity and programs that are already taking root to bolster food entrepreneurship and support food access in our community.”
The HFFI Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program is a new grant program under the expanded America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Reinvestment Fund awarded the grants after reviewing 55 eligible applications that requested more than $112 million total and selected local entities across the country.
For more information about United Way of Greater Knoxville and its initiatives, visit uwgk.org.
About United Way of Greater Knoxville
United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK) has enriched the Knoxville community for over a century, championing change and fostering collaborations with more than 90 local nonprofits. We address critical challenges related to food, economic mobility, education and housing.
As a proud member of United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest charitable organization, our global and local partnerships amplify our transformative impact.
For more information and to get involved, visit uwgk.org.
