Saint Joseph Health awards $50,000 grant to Knox County program to address student food insecurity

Delisa Estes and Gina Sears told the Knox County Board of Education on Feb. 27 that the Knox County Fresh Group has been awarded a $50,000 grant from Saint Joseph Health to help address food insecurity that interferes with students’ learning.

"We were awarded big check $50,000," Delisa Estes said, describing how staff observed students taking part of their school meal home because the family had no dinner. The grant will fund stocked emergency food supplies in district centers and incorporate an educational component: the Knox County Extension Office will run cooking classes for families that include budgeting and meal-preparation tips. The district plans to provide incentives such as an air fryer or crock pot to encourage attendance at the classes.

Gina Sears said the funds will allow the program to distribute perishable items — "milk, meat, fresh vegetables" — that pantry donations generally do not provide. Estes said the district will administer the funds through KCEC and partner with community groups, including the Corbin Backpack program, which already supplies weekend bags to students.

Superintendent (addressing the board) thanked the grant writers and CHI St. Joseph's for the support, noting it complements other district efforts to remove nonacademic barriers to learning. The presentation did not include a board vote; presenters described program administration and next steps for rolling out family classes and stocking sites.