Partnering with Schools, Feeding Communities: ETHRA’s Non-Congregate Success

East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA), a regional nonprofit serving over 20 counties in Eastern Tennessee, has created a community-powered model to feed thousands of children through non-congregate summer meals. By partnering with school nutrition teams as both local vendors and summer meal sites, ETHRA ensures children in rural and hard-to-reach areas have consistent access to nutritious food during the summer months. Veronica Stephens, ETHRA’s Summer Meals Senior Program Director, shares how the program works, what makes it unique, and how other community-based sponsors can adopt a school-centered approach to expand summer food access.