Knox County, TN
Healthy food access, Small business and economic development | 2025
Identifying community-driven solutions to increase access to food systems.
Access to healthy food can prevent chronic illnesses and improve health outcomes. As of 2023, 47,150 Knox County residents lack access to quality food options and live in USDA-defined food deserts. Low-income communities experience particularly high rates of food insecurity because of long-standing economic challenges and limited access to resources, which negatively affect their physical and mental health. To improve food access for Knox County, United Way of Greater Knoxville is building on its People’s Food Plan, an outline of strategies to create food systems that ensure fair access and serve the needs of all residents, including those in low-income neighborhoods. United Way of Greater Knoxville seeks to better understand the barriers residents face in accessing healthy food and determine future funding and initiatives to overcome those barriers.
United Way of Greater Knoxville will hire five local data collectors to develop interview questions and conduct 50 interviews with residents in low-income census tracts about their experiences with the food system, including challenges related to neighborhood infrastructure and access. To increase options for healthy food, United Way of Greater Knoxville will also explore strategies to support local entrepreneurs in the food system. The project will work to understand the challenges local entrepreneurs face in accessing capital, business support services, education, and affordable retail locations. Interview findings and key performance indicators from the People’s Food Plan will be analyzed in partnership with the University of Tennessee and shared publicly through ESRI StoryMaps. United Way of Greater Knoxville will also use these new insights to develop a People’s Food Report and policy and advocacy briefs.
United Way of Greater Knoxville will present its findings to the Knoxville–Knox County Food Policy Council and other stakeholders focused on improving locally responsive food access and reducing food insecurity. Partners will be able to access the People’s Food Report to identify shared goals and guide investments that address community needs. Additionally, United Way of Greater Knoxville will use these data to inform their annual grantmaking, aiming to strengthen local needs-based food systems and support resident business owners who operate within the food system. The local chapter previously distributed $1 million through their Healthy Food Financing grant to support more than 200 small food-based entrepreneurs operating in low-access areas. This funding has helped bring more healthy food to local neighborhoods, created new opportunities for small business owners who have traditionally faced barriers, and supported stability and resiliency within communities.