Meet the Staff

Rhonda Chafin has been the Executive Director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee since 1993. She is a native of Bristol, Tennessee and a graduate of Virginia Intermont College with a B.A. Degree in Business Administration. She is a graduate of the Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City, Unicoi County and Johnson County Chamber of Commerce Leadership programs.

Ms. Chafin led the food bank to successful Building Capital Campaigns, relocated the food bank to Gray, Tennessee in 1998 and 2013 to our current location in Kingsport, Tennessee. Rhonda currently serves on the local Federal Emergency Management Association Allocation Board for Sullivan County through the Kingsport United Way, Northeast Tennessee Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, Governmental Council for the Johnson City Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Bristol TN and VA Chamber of Commerce. Mountain Empire Policy and Economic Development Working Group. Previously she served as Chair for the Feeding America Central Region Association of Food Banks and National Council for Feeding America Food Bank Network.

From 1998 to present, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee has continued to grow by starting new initiatives to help feed more people in need; Kids Café, Food for Kids, a back pack kids program, Prepared and Perishable Rescue Foods Program, Mobile Food Bank and Mobile Pantry Programs. In 2018, the food bank distributed approx. 11 million pounds of food to over 150 non-profit charities and 70 mobile sites that feed the hungry in the eight county region of Northeast Tennessee.

Awards and distinctions include:
1) 2012 Feeding America National Food Bank Network Hunger’s Hope Award for Food Bank Advocacy Program of the Year.
2) 2011CenturyLink Faith in the Future Region Non- Profit of the Year
3) 2011 Individual Distinguished Leadership Award-Johnson City Chamber of Commerce – to Executive Director Rhonda Chafin
4) 2011 Featured on NPR (National Public Radio) broadcast, 2013 Feature in the Washington Post and CBS evening news.
5) 2010 Bristol Mayor’s Award of Distinction – For the Food Bank making an outstanding contribution to Bristol, TN and the surrounding area in welfare to others.
6) 2002 Business Journal Top Forty under Forty in Northeast Tn/Southwest Va.
7) 1994 Rhonda Chafin Jaycee of the Year & East Tennessee Region William Brownfield of the quarter.