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Feed America First of Tennessee

EIN 62-1821057 · Murfreesboro, TN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceGood73 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FEED AMERICA FIRST IS A MURFREESBORO, TN BASED FOOD MINISTRY FOCUSED UPON HUNGER RELIEF IN SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN MIDDLE TN AND PARTS OF AL, KY AND MS. SINCE 2000 FAF HAS DISTRIBUTED ENOUGH FOOD FOR OVER 150,000,000 MEALS TO HUNGRY FAMILIES THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF 125+ CHURCH FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS. THE MISSION OF FEED AMERICA FIRST IS "TO PROVIDE FOOD TO THOSE WHO FEED THE HUNGRY." FAF COLLECTS WHOLESOME FOOD DONATIONS FROM MANUFACTUERS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMS AND GROCERS AND DISTRIBUTES IT THROUGH OUR 125+ PARTNER AGENCIES INTO 32 COUNTIES IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND ADJACENT STATES. THIS HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAM BENEFITS SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO AN ABUNDANCE OF MORE NUTRITOUS FOOD AS WELL AS DIVERTING WHOLESOME FOOD FROM AREA LANDFILLS. BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND MINISTRIES ALREADY SERVING THEIR NEIGHBORS IN SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES, FAF PROVIDES FOOD TO THOUSANDS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THE REGION WHO W

Income
$26.3 million
Spending
$25.7 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
13
Volunteers
2,500
Highest pay
$87,880, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $25.2 million spent. THE FAF VISION "HUNGER WILL CEASE TO BE A PROBLEM IN AMERICA WHEN WE ALL REFUSE TO ALLOW OUR NEIGHBORS TO GO HUNGR." ACCOMPLISHMENTS TOWARDS THIS GOAL IN 2023 INCLUDE: 1. DISTRIBUTING 9,509,359 POUNDS OF WHOLESOME FOOD TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS INPACTING AN ESTIMATED 40,000 FAMILIES MONTHLY. 2. FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO 125+ LOCAL AGENCIES WITHIN OUR FOOTPRINT OF SOUTHERN KENTUCKY, MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. THOSE AGENCIES ARE COMPOSED OF LOCAL VOLUNTEERS WHO KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS AND CAN RESPOND QUICKLY TO AN IMMEDIATE NEED. COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGER WHEN NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS. 3. COORDINATING APPROXIMATELY 2,500 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP MANAGE THE FOOD STORAGE, PORTIONING AND DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. 4. DISTRIBUTING ENOUGH FOOD FOR 7.924,465 HEARTY MEALS WITH A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE STAFF OF 12 WHILE MAINTAINING AN OVERHEAD OF APPROXIMATELY 2%: AN ESTIMATED 98% OF CONTRIBUTIONS WENT TO OUR CORE MISSION OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY. THE FAF VISION "HUNGER WILL CEASE TO BE A PROBLEM IN AMERICA WHEN WE ALL REFUSE TO ALLOW OUR NEIGHBORS TO GO HUNGR." ACCOMPLISHMENTS TOWARDS THIS GOAL IN 2023 INCLUDE: 1. DISTRIBUTING 9,509,359 POUNDS OF WHOLESOME FOOD TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS INPACTING AN ESTIMATED 40,000 FAMILIES MONTHLY. 2. FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO 125+ LOCAL AGENCIES WITHIN OUR FOOTPRINT OF SOUTHERN KENTUCKY, MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. THOSE AGENCIES ARE COMPOSED OF LOCAL VOLUNTEERS WHO KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS AND CAN RESPOND QUICKLY TO AN IMMEDIATE NEED. COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGER WHEN NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS. 3. COORDINATING APPROXIMATELY 2,500 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP MANAGE THE FOOD STORAGE, PORTIONING AND DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. 4. DISTRIBUTING ENOUGH FOOD FOR 7.924,465 HEARTY MEALS WITH A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE STAFF OF 12 WHILE MAINTAINING AN OVERHEAD OF APPROXIMATELY 2%: AN ESTIMATED 98% OF CONTRIBUTIONS WENT TO OUR CORE MISSION OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2000.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.