Rhonda P. Chafin named the 2026 Feeding America John van Hengel Fellow

Rhonda P. Chafin, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee has been named the 2026 John van Hengel Fellow by Feeding America during the organization’s annual conference. Six network members were also honored for their extraordinary commitment to supporting neighbors facing hunger in the communities they serve including: Community Food Share, FIND Regional Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative, NORWESCAP and Vermont Foodbank.

2026 John van Hengel Fellowship

Rhonda P. Chafin has dedicated more than 33 years to advancing hunger relief across rural Appalachia, transforming Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee into a trusted anchor for the communities it serves. One of the youngest leaders ever appointed to an executive director role in the Feeding America network, Chafin led the organization from a small affiliate into a fully independent food bank. During this time, they grew annual food distribution from 1.3 million to nearly 16 million meals and expanded their reach to more than 340 distribution points across the region.

"Rhonda embodies the very spirit of the John van Hengel Fellowship with a deep, abiding commitment to improving dignified access to food for neighbors facing hunger, grounded in compassion and respect," said Denis McDonough, CEO of Feeding America. "Her pioneering efforts in rural communities, from mobile food pantries to a lunch program serving children using school buses, shows what is possible when a leader puts people first and never stops innovating. We are proud of and grateful for her extraordinary work."

During her tenure, Chafin has established neighbor-centered service models to overcome the transportation and access barriers unique to rural communities, expanded child and senior programs, and maintained uninterrupted service through crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Helene. She's grown the organization's budget more than twentyfold while keeping administrative costs low, a testament to her operational discipline and her enduring belief that resources belong in the communities that need them most.  

Network Celebrations

• Community Food Share (Louisville, Colo.): When SNAP payment delays threatened smaller neighborhood grocery stores, Community Food Share responded with urgency and ingenuity. Recognizing that the closure of these stores would cut access to fresh foods for neighbors facing hunger, the food bank developed a targeted voucher program to sustain local grocers through the crisis. More than 1,800 vouchers were distributed through trusted community partners, helping preserve both food access and dignity of choice for neighbors facing hunger. By listening to community voices, the food bank built strong cross-sector partnerships, strengthening the local economy while addressing food insecurity. Community Food Share demonstrated how community-centered crisis response can protect both small businesses and the neighbors that support them.
• FIND Regional Food Bank (Indio, Calif.): Addressing one of the region’s most persistent challenges, high rates of child food insecurity, FIND Regional Food Bank took an innovative approach by turning to the young people in their community. The food bank launched the Youth Advisory Commission, engaging 8-13 students annually from several school districts to design and lead real-world hunger solutions, from student-run food pantries to peer awareness campaigns. Students built skills in advocacy, wellness and financial literacy while earning more than $34,000 in scholarships to support post-secondary pathways. By elevating lived experience as a driver of program design, FIND is cultivating the next generation of anti-hunger advocates from within the very communities they serve. 
• Greater Chicago Food Depository: Faced with sweeping SNAP policy changes that impacted hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents, Greater Chicago Food Depository mounted a swift and comprehensive response. The food bank led a statewide advocacy strategy that protected benefits for more than 280,000 people, reducing the at-risk population from 450,000 to 170,000. The food bank advocated for SNAP in over 300 stakeholder briefings, a multichannel public awareness campaign and the engagement of over 800 partners, including faith leaders and community. Their work stands as a powerful example of how translating complex policy into coordinated, on-the-ground action can achieve remarkable and measurable impact. 
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative: Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative (MARC) is a regional co-op serving food banks across 13 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. MARC tackled the persistent challenge of getting fresh, locally grown produce to neighbors facing hunger who need it most. To do so, MARC coordinated growers, food banks and shippers to leverage existing repacking infrastructure. As a result, MARC distributed 2.6 million pounds of produce across the region, dramatically expanding access for smaller partners that would otherwise lack the capacity to handle large-scale fresh food distributions. Building on innovations developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, MARC demonstrated that flexible, partner-first coordination and regional cooperation can reduce food waste and increase community access to nutritious food. 
• NORWESCAP (Northwest New Jersey Community Action Program): When locally grown produce needed rescue in New Jersey’s food distribution system, NORWESCAP stepped in to lead a statewide solution. In just four months, the food bank mobilized a first-of-its-kind collaboration among all five New Jersey food banks, partnering with The Common Market to address longstanding barriers in transportation, storage and repacking. The results were transformative: local produce retention climbed from 35% to 60%, expanding equitable access to fresh food across the state. By leveraging trusted relationships and strong alignment with state leadership, NORWESCAP created a scalable regional model, demonstrating how cross-sector partnerships, built on trust, can deliver swift and lasting change. 
• Vermont Foodbank: Vermont Foodbank is taking the long view on supporting neighbors. The food bank led the development of a bold 10-year Food Security Roadmap, bringing together a broad coalition of food system organizations and centering the voices of hundreds of community members to chart a path toward statewide food security by 2035. The initiative has already produced tangible results: securing state funding for local food distribution, strengthening access to services through United Way’s Vermont 211, expanding tax credits for low-income families and advancing SNAP access to locally grown produce. By building a shared vision and enabling collective advocacy, Vermont Foodbank is laying the foundation for the kind of systemic, lasting change that goes far beyond food distribution.

"These innovative honorees remind us what is possible when food banks put neighbors facing hunger at the center of everything they do by listening first and then acting boldly,” said McDonough. "They turn insights into action through collaboration, creativity and bold problem-solving. Their work demonstrates that innovation grounded in dignity and partnership strengthens food systems and communities alike.”  

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About Feeding America

Rooted in the voices of neighbors facing hunger, Feeding America unites the country ensuring everyone has access to food and a thriving future. We support tens of millions of people as part of a nationwide network of 250+ food banks, 20+ statewide food bank associations, 10+ regional co-ops and 60,000+ agency partners, food pantries and meal programs. Powered by leaders and volunteers embedded in local communities, we are one of the nation’s most effective food distribution systems driving immediate impact today—and a catalyst for long-term change through advocating for legislation that improves food security and work to address its factors. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations and supporters united with the unwavering commitment to provide nourishing food and work to end hunger at its roots so everyone can live fuller, healthier lives. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.