Empty Stocking Fund Opens Holiday Meal Box Applications
Low-income Knox County households can apply in person or by phone for holiday meal boxes through the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Philanthropy
The News Sentinel Charities Empty Stocking Fund has opened applications for holiday meal boxes, with plans to buy food for 3,000 boxes this season. Applications are due Nov. 25 and are accepted in person at Community Action Committee offices or by phone at 865-564-9053.
Why it matters
The program offers a holiday food resource for low-income households in Knoxville and surrounding East Tennessee communities. Its volunteer-run structure, with no overhead, directs donations toward food for eligible families.
The planned purchase covers 3,000 holiday meal boxes, each containing a ham, side dishes, fresh produce, bread, and staples for a week. The source does not specify how many applications have been received so far.
The players
Empty Stocking Fund
The News Sentinel Charities program that has provided holiday assistance in the Knoxville area for over 115 years and is run entirely by volunteers.
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee
The local anti-poverty agency that partners with the Empty Stocking Fund to take applications and distribute holiday meal boxes.
The details
Eligible low-income households in Knox County and East Tennessee may submit one application per household in person at a Community Action Committee office from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by phone between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Applicants who can drive must pick up their boxes the morning of Dec. 19.
Timeline
Nov. 25: Deadline to submit applications.
Dec. 19: Morning pickup of holiday meal boxes for driving applicants.
Philanthropy Context
Holiday food programs like the Empty Stocking Fund rely on sustained annual donations, and this program has collected gifts year-round for over 115 years. Its partnership with the Community Action Committee routes applications through an established local anti-poverty agency.
Eligible households can apply in person at either Community Action Committee office or by calling 865-564-9053 before the Nov. 25 deadline. Only one application per household is accepted, so families should confirm they are the designated applicant before submitting.
The takeaway
Households that need holiday food assistance should apply before Nov. 25, since the program is limited to one application per household. Donors can support the effort year-round, as the Empty Stocking Fund collects gifts all year.
What happens next
Applications close Nov. 25, and driving applicants must pick up their boxes the morning of Dec. 19.
Further reading
For more on local giving, see Philanthropy coverage for Knoxville.
