When Winter Storm Fern began impacting families across Davidson County, our response did not begin with panic. It began with preparation.
By Friday, The Nashville Food Project had prepared and shared 2,400 meals at the Hadley Park and Smith Springs Community Center Disaster Assistance Centers. The week prior, we had already mobilized 1,000 meals as part of our emergency response efforts.
In moments like this, the numbers matter. But what matters more is the infrastructure that makes those numbers possible.
When the storm hit, our culinary team moved immediately into response mode.
All tilts were filled. Production expanded. Double shifts were activated. At the same time, we continued preparing meals for our regular community partners. Care does not pause during a crisis.
Chef Bianca, Chief Culinary Officer, coordinated logistics. Chef Trish activated to support distribution on site. Julia, Director of Culinary Operations, ensured production remained steady and focused. There was no reinvention. There was integration.
We leaned on the systems already in place.
During this activation, our team prepared:
Mains
60 servings chicken pot pie
150 servings chili
335 servings chicken alfredo
875 servings ground beef spaghetti
400 servings pork jambalaya
400 pieces BBQ chicken
Individual Meals
60 sweet and sour pork
90 “Marry Me” chicken
Sides
225 servings garden salad
Total meals prepared and shared: 2,400
Each tray prepared represented more than food. It represented steadiness in the middle of disruption.
CJ Sentell, Chief Executive Officer
What stood out most was not simply efficiency. It was commitment.
Many team members were navigating their own power outages and water disruptions. And still, they showed up. Brad. Anya. Asia. Others stepped into additional hours to cover gaps. They supported one another while supporting the community.
It was a clear reflection of our values in action.
We had a plan before requests formally came in. We did not need to reinvent the wheel. We extended what we already do well. We mirrored our regular community partner menus. We activated trusted volunteers and contract partners. We operated with hospitality, even in urgency.
Storms do not create food insecurity. They expose it.
When families already navigating instability lose power, transportation, or access to groceries, the gap widens quickly. Recovery becomes more difficult. The burden grows heavier.
This is why strong food systems matter before a crisis hits.
By investing in sustainable infrastructure—kitchen capacity, volunteer leadership, recovery logistics, and long-standing community partnerships—we shorten recovery time. We close gaps faster. We prevent instability from compounding into crisis.
When systems are not in place, nonprofits must carry the weight alone. When they are, communities move together.
This response would not have been possible without our volunteer community.
Our volunteers are always ready to activate. Always ready to step in. Many hands truly make light work. The trust and commitment of this community allow us to respond not with scrambling, but with steadiness.
In the midst of Winter Storm Fern, we did what we always do.
We grew.
We cooked.
We shared.