Latest news with #Streno
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Targeting the most vulnerable' Second Harvest Executive Director reacts to food distribution scam post
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Be careful when scrolling through social media, a new scam has surfaced in an East Tennessee Facebook group. The post claims to be promoting a food distribution event for families in need, but it is not what it seems. The Facebook post offers free boxes of food with items including eggs, potatoes, milk, rice, and even ribeye steak. For families struggling with food insecurity, it may sound like a lifeline but it's a scam and clicking the link could put your personal information at risk. 'I just think it's targeting the most vulnerable, the most needy. It's sad,' said Elaine Streno, the Executive Director for Second Harvest Food Bank of East scam encourages users to click a link to ' reserve a box' claiming its first come first serve. But Better Business Bureau shares it's really a way to collect your information. 'We're getting double whammied right now': Local union president reacts to planned UPS layoffs 'They get those links, number one, to try to get as much information as they can. They capture as much information they can. So when you get these crazy looking links, I would suggest never to click on those things. And if you want to investigate this, see if you can find if something's going on like that in your community,' explained Tony Binkley the President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Greater East TN. That's part of the problem, fake posts like these can lead families to empty parking lots and empty promises. 'We have mobile pantries out every day. We have our agency partners. It can take away from a lot. If people see this and they think there's a food distribution site tomorrow, they might go to that and find nothing but being taken advantage of,' said Streno. Organizations like Second Harvest hope to reach people with real resources. 'Always, always check other websites. Our agency partners have great strong websites. Of course we do too. It tells you where we are, what we're doing, what days our pantries are open and when our agency partner friends are open. So just don't fall for this,' Streno added. For Streno and the 600 partners who work across 18 counties, the scam isn't just frustrating its personal. 'We all work hard for the transparency and the honesty of what it means to distribute food, and this is just a big fat slap in the face to all of us who work hard to do this,' explained Streno. The Better Business Bureau tells 6 News there's various ways to detect Facebook scams such as checking out the profile that posted it, looking for grammatical errors and misspellings, or conducting a reverse image search. Knox County prosecutor fired over social media posts, DA's office to review all cases On Second Harvest's website, families in need can find a calendar of the organization's mobile pantries as well as find partners that can provide assistance in any county. Streno shares the organization is grateful to the community for the support to help those in need. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
$722K in food shipments to East Tennessee food bank canceled by U.S. Department of Agriculture
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Twenty-one tractor-tailer loads of food coming to East Tennessee were canceled by the United States Department of Agriculture, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee shared. According to the food bank, the loads contained $722,000 worth of USDA commodities food and represented more than 377,000 lbs. of nutritious proteins and dairy. The shipments were scheduled to arrive between April and July before being canceled on March 24. The food was funded by the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC), which is paused due to federal review. USDA halts more than $1B in funding for local food banks, schools Second Harvest said the impact for East Tennessee is immediate, adding that families who rely on food assistance could face shortages as funding cuts to the USDA have disrupted food bank shipments across the nation. 'The loss of these shipments is significant and impacts a critical element of our hunger-relief programs for communities in need,' said Executive Director Elaine Streno. Remains found in North Knoxville identified as missing woman last seen in 2022 The food was set to be distributed through programs like Mobile Pantry, Harvest to Home (which offers food boxes to those undergoing medical treatment) and Partner Agencies in Second Harvest's service area. The food bank said they were working to replace the products. 'While we're concerned by the diminished capacity to serve our neighbors, we remain committed to strengthening food access for East Tennesseans and provide adequate nutrition for a healthy life,' said Streno. 'This is a crucial time for our community to step up. We ask the public to continue supporting our hunger-relief efforts by hosting food drives and providing financial support. Together, we will provide adequate nutrition for more than 200,000 individuals who experience food insecurity.' End of USDA funding for fresh local produce hits Grainger County Schools Second Harvest serves 18 counties across the East Tennessee region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
