JOHN COFFELT Editor

Coffee County has recently been awarded $500,000 from the state which will go toward helping agencies that provide for those with food insecurities in the county.

The Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) money was distributed by the state Department of Economic and Community Development. Funds are intended for purchasing equipment and supplies needed for partner agencies to increase their capacity to distribute food to low-income communities and populations, rather than purchasing food for distribution.

According to County Mayor Judd Matheny, Unity Medical Center will receive $254,198, Storehouse Food Pantry $150,000, Tullahoma’s Henry Center $10,000 and First Christian Church $9,919.

South Central Tennessee Development District will receive $20,000 for the administration of the grant.

Matheny said that the remaining $55,883 will be held in a “contingency county with SCTTDD and will possibly be awarded in some fashion to the exiting grantee once monies are dispersed per the existing award and the issue can be examined again by (the department).”

Application requests were announced among state agencies in fall of 2022. The county announced it was awarded its portion of a $10 million overall grant early this month.