Kingsport, TN (July 1, 2026) — A record-setting community effort has raised $81,159 to help provide weekend meals for hundreds of children facing food insecurity in Greeneville and Greene County.

The funds were raised during the annual Derby Day on Main on May 2, held at the General Morgan Inn and Conference Center, where community members gathered for an afternoon of Derby-themed festivities, including live entertainment, food, games, auctions, and contests recognizing the best hat, best-dressed man and woman, and best-dressed couple.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Food for Kids Weekend Backpack Program, which provides nutritious, easy-to-prepare food for students in Greeneville City Schools and Greene County Schools to take home on weekends during the school year. The program helps ensure children have access to meals when school cafeterias are closed.

The need for the program remains significant. According to the latest available data, 21 percent of children in Greene County under the age of 18—approximately one in every five children—experience food insecurity, meaning they do not always have reliable access to enough nutritious food.

The overwhelming success of this year’s fundraiser is credited to the dedication of the women of Hearts and Hats for Hunger of Greeneville and Greene County, who spent the past year planning every aspect of the event. Their volunteer leadership, along with the generosity of sponsors, donors, auction contributors, and attendees, made this year’s Derby Day on Main the most successful in the event’s history.

“Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee is profoundly grateful to the remarkable women of Hearts and Hats for Hunger whose passion, commitment, and countless volunteer hours made this extraordinary event possible,” said Rhonda Chafin, Chief Executive Officer of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee. “Their dedication, combined with the incredible generosity of the Greene County community, will make a meaningful difference in the lives of local children. Every backpack filled because of this event represents hope, nourishment, and the knowledge that a child will have food to eat over the weekend. We are honored to partner with a community that cares so deeply for its children.”

Since its inception, Derby Day on Main has become one of Greene County’s premier charitable events, bringing together businesses, civic leaders, volunteers, and residents to address childhood hunger close to home.

Organizers said the record-breaking total reflects the compassion and generosity of Greene County and demonstrates what can be accomplished when a community unites behind a common cause. The $81,159 raised will stay in the community, providing weekend backpacks filled with nutritious food for children in Greeneville City Schools and Greene County Schools throughout the school year.

The women of Hearts and Hats for Hunger expressed their sincere appreciation to the event sponsors, donors, volunteers, auction contributors, and everyone who attended Derby Day on Main. Their support will help ensure that hundreds of local children have the nourishment they need to return to school each Monday ready to learn, grow, and succeed.

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