The Nashville Food Project’s Blog
Together, their rhythm has been simple and steady. One experimenting. One anchoring. Both caring deeply about the meals that leave the kitchen.
At The Nashville Food Project, we are building the infrastructure that makes nourishment predictable and dignified. This is proactive work. It happens in kitchens designed to recover surplus and prepare consistent meals. It happens in gardens where neighbors grow food that reflects their cultures and preferences. It happens in partnerships that align farmers, clinics, agencies, and volunteers toward shared outcomes.
Through farming, she has been able to grow and share produce in ways that connect her more deeply to community. Food has opened doors. It has introduced her to people she might never have met otherwise. It has created opportunities to teach others about the importance of caring for the Earth with intention and respect.
Food, for Bianca, has always been a connector. A way to show care. A way to build community. A way to express love when words fall short. Her life has been shaped by faith, purpose, and a deep belief that what we make with our hands can change what happens in the world.
Nourish 2025 was a powerful celebration of food, community, and connection. From a beautifully collaborative meal prepared by top chefs to stories that highlighted the heart of our mission, the evening brought people together around a shared table and a shared purpose—to nourish Nashville.
At the Andrew Jackson Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, kids are spending the summer learning, growing—and thanks to The Nashville Food Project’s made-from-scratch meals—staying nourished, too.
Through the Sweet Peas Summer Eats for Kids program, sponsored by Jackson®, hundreds of healthy meals are delivered each week to support youth during a time when access to regular food can drop off.
This partnership is part of The Nashville Food Project’s Community Meals program, which brings nutritious food directly to organizations already creating safe, supportive spaces for young people.
Now in its sixth year, the collaboration with Jackson is helping serve over 100,000 meals this summer—fueling not just plates, but potential across the city.
Two volunteers from The Nashville Food Project received honors at the 2025 Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards. Marcie Smeck Bryant won the Social Justice Impact Award, and Cheri Ferrari was a top finalist for the Charles Strobel Legacy Award. Presented by Hands On Nashville/United Way, the awards are Middle Tennessee's largest annual celebration of volunteerism.
Celebrating the Summer Harvest
This season’s event at McGruder celebrated more than just a successful summer growing season. The United Way Family Resource Center welcomed a new lead agency and several new nonprofit partners to better serve its North Nashville community…
On a recent Saturday the Wedgewood Neighbors Community garden teamed up with the McGruder Green Thumbers Community garden for their Summer Harvest Potluck Celebration. These celebrations are held at the end of each season (spring, summer, and fall) as a way to toast the previous season, share accomplishments, and show other gardeners how they prepare their harvest.
This season’s event at McGruder celebrated more than just a successful summer growing season. The United Way Family Resource Center welcomed a new lead agency and several new nonprofit partners to better serve its North Nashville community. We opened up the celebration and invited The Nashville Food Project staff, the entire staff at the McGruder Family Resource Center, as well as The Little Pantry that Could participants.
It was a great way for our community gardeners to welcome the new organizations in the building while also showing off their amazing garden. The grill was hot, the food was flowing, and there were plenty of laughs to go around as people shared picnic tables and stories of either their gardening adventures or humorous attempts
TNFP Welcomes Kia Brown as Garden Coordinator
Kia Brown, a New York transplant, has lived in Nashville for 11 years. She's had lots of adventures along the way including school at the University of Memphis where she earned her B.S. in Geography and a year serving in AmeriCorps…
Kia Brown, a New York transplant, has lived in Nashville for 11 years. She's had lots of adventures along the way including school at the University of Memphis where she earned her B.S. in Geography and a year serving in AmeriCorps. While traveling the country during her service year, she spent a couple of months in Seattle and discovered her love for growing both food and community.
Kia loves to travel and explore, which led to a summer interning at the Nashville Zoo and an interest in new hobbies such as metalsmithing. You might encounter Kia leading groups in any of our gardens, but she works closely with the Green Thumbers in the McGruder community garden .