Archived News Stories

NC NEWS

[08/07/2021] Farms app, technology address food insecurity in Pitt County – In addition to growing the agritourism industry in Pitt County, experts hope a newly introduced app can serve as an asset in the fight against food insecurity.

[08/04/2021] NC Disburses $413M In Summer Pandemic Food Benefits For Children – Families of NC children who receive free or reduced lunch will receive a $375 payment on their Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer card.

[07/29/2021] ‘The Need Is Still There’: Chapel Hill Food Drive Seeks More Volunteers – The Town of Chapel Hill is currently looking for more volunteers to help with its weekly food distribution events, which are hosted by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and the Chapel Hill Public Housing Office.

[07/23/2021] Edgecombe schools work to feed students during summer – Most children in Edgecombe County will have access to healthy meals this summer as Edgecombe County Public Schools is offering free summer meals for kids and teens in the community.

[07/23/2021] Food distribution at Southeastern North Carolina Agricultural Events Center aims to help 2,000 families — A food distribution event with the goal of serving 2,000 families has been scheduled for Friday at Southeastern North Carolina Agricultural Events Center.

[07/13/2021] Food banks, pantries increase community access to fresh food – Food banks and pantries were pushed to their limits during the pandemic. They were forced to find ways to provide for their communities and a large percentage of their visitors who had never been in need.

[07/13/2021] Organizations work together to triple donations to Food Bank – Today only, your donation to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is tripled thanks to some help from several organizations helping match each donation.

[04/16/2021] North Carolina National Guard support for Second Harvest Food Bank ends after year of pandemic help  – After providing more than a year of support to Second Harvest Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic, the North Carolina National Guard is moving out of Winston-Salem. Citing an increase of alternative labor and logistics sources, North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen ceased their food bank operations Thursday after assisting the program’s mission to feed citizens in need during the pandemic.

[03/10/2021] Grant Helps Food Pantry Serve More Neighbors in Need – Hope Street Food Pantry, a ministry of Hope Church, recently purchased a larger truck that will allow the nonprofit organization to transport more food from Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina to its facility. A $10,000 grant from the American Heart Association and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina helped make the purchase possible.

[11/13/2020] Does your neighbor have enough to eat? — This article explains how organizations such as The Carolina Community Garden, Edible Campus UNC, and The Carolina Cupboard are fighting food insecurity.

[11/13/2020] Food banks and pantries continue to see increased need due to the COVID-19 pandemic – Food banks are continuing to report increased need as the pandemic persists.

[05/21/2020] 570 Workers Test Positive For Coronavirus At North Carolina Poultry Plant — 570 employees at a meat processing plant in Wilkesboro, NC test positive for coronavirus.

[05/04/2020] “Unemployment update: 1 million North Carolinians have now filed for jobless benefits” — Updates about unemployment in NC.

[04/29/2020] NC agriculture officials: No meat shortages for now, plant worker safety is priority — NC Agriculture; No meat shortages for now, plant worker safety is priority.

[04/28/2020] “Carolina community garden donates fresh produce to medical staff” — Read some more positive news about members of the Carolina community stepping up to relieve local medical staff.

[04/21/2020] In midst of virus outbreaks at food-processing plants, NC health officials issue new guidance to protect workers – North Carolina health officials have issued new guidance in an effort to protect workers at food-processing plants in the state after COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in at least five counties.

[04/08/2020]  “A Look at HNC (Healthy North Carolina) 2030 Health Indicators: Limited Access to Healthy Foods” — Information about food access disparity in NC, and how the NC Government is supporting hungry children and adults during the pandemic .

[04/03/2020] “Here’s What Area Grocery Stores are Doing to Keep Everyone Safer During COVID-19 Spread” — Information about exactly how chain grocery stores  in NC are changing policies to ensure shopper safety.

[04/01/2020] “Creating opportunities, helping the homeless, distance learning: News from around the 50 states” — Read some positive news about what is being done to combat negative impacts of COVID-19. Featuring Carrboro United in North Carolina.

[03/31/2020] “Food for All Partnership Addresses COVID-19 Impact on Food Systems” – The interdisciplinary partnership brainstormed potential responses to the challenges facing restaurants and those experiencing food insecurity.

[03/31/2020] “NC Food Assistance Recipients Receive Extra Benefits for April, May”  — Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive the maximum funding amount for a family of their size through April and May.

[03/27/2020] “NC Families Can Now Text to Find Free Meals for Children During COVID-19 Pandemic” — Families eligible for free and reduced meals can text FOODNC to 877-877 to find nearby meal sites that will provide meals to children.

[03/17/2020] What NC schools are doing to help feed hungry students during coronavirus closures – School districts and community groups around the state are ramping up their efforts to provide food to students through the end of March — and potentially much longer — while schools are shut down.

[08/05/2021] Farmers markets are growing role as essential sources of healthy food – For many Americans, buying fresh local food at one of the estimated 9,000 farmers markets across the U.S. is one of summer’s pleasures. But farmers markets aren’t just nice amenities. Over the past 18 months, many have filled food supply gaps caused by COVID-19 shutdowns.

[08/04/2021] COVID-19 Compounds Global Challenges to Food Security – Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on food and nutrition security.

[07/30/2021] Food Bank connects record 13.2M meals to southeast Nebraskans – In its most recent fiscal year, the Food Bank of Lincoln connected neighbors in southeast Nebraska to more meals than ever before in the organization’s 39-year history.

[07/28/2021] Central Texas Food Bank sees 30% demand increase in pandemic, need rises again as unemployment benefits end –  The need leveled out as unemployment benefits kicked in, but never returned to pre-pandemic levels. Now, the demand is elevated once again as unemployment benefits ended.

[07/26/2021] ‘I was looking at a nightmare:’ Spanish-speakers hard hit by COVID relied on food banks instead of government assistance – Spanish-speaking Latinos were among the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting some of the highest levels of food insecurity driven by a wave of job losses, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite that, they were just as likely as their English-speaking Latino counterparts to seek food assistance, relying on food banks, church groups and other charities for food and essentials.

[07/23/2021] Food industry at crisis point and shortages possible, says Ranjit Singh Boparan – The founder and owner of one of the country’s largest food producers said the industry is at “crisis point”.

[07/21/2021] Lebanon families spend ‘5 times minimum wage’ on food: study – Families in Lebanon are now spending five times the minimum wage on food alone, a report found Wednesday, as inflation caused by the country’s worst-ever economic crisis continues to soar.

[06/17/2021] ‘Dramatic shift in the face of hunger’ — More Latino families struggling with food insecurity – More families in Virginia and Maryland, and significantly more Latino families, were pushed into food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report on hunger in the D.C. area, which a nonprofit official called a “dramatic shift in the face of hunger.”

[05/19/2021] Food Insecurity Rose In Central Texas With The Pandemic. Organizations Still Need Hundreds Of Volunteers To Help. – Food insecurity has spiked during the pandemic, and local organizations don’t expect it to decline any time soon. More people are returning to their regular activities after getting vaccinated and after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention loosened guidelines last week. But many Central Texans are still grappling with the financial impacts of the pandemic.

[02/23/2021] Supermarkets must rethink their approach to food waste in the face of Covid-19 – Many supermarkets have focused on reducing waste going to landfill by investing in third-party redistribution processes such as anaerobic digestion and stock donations to food banks. While donating stock is far better than disposal, this is not always the most appropriate solution, especially when fresh goods need to have enough life remaining to benefit food bank users.

[02/23/2021] Frozen food sales up 21% in 2020 as COVID alters shopping and eating behaviors – A new report from the American Frozen Food Institute and FMI—the Food Industry Association finds frozen foods were among the fastest-growing categories in the grocery store during COVID-19, with clear signs that the trend toward frozen will continue to grow beyond the pandemic.

[02/21/2021] LIST: Food, water distribution sites in the Houston area – In an effort to help those in need, local officials are setting up food and water distribution sites in several counties around our region.

[02/20/2021] Food insecurity grows amid pandemic – The ongoing economic toll of the pandemic has led to a surge in requests for food stamps and other programs in the past year. Hundreds of thousands of workers remain unemployed in Massachusetts amid a sluggish economy and government restrictions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, and that has record numbers of families struggling to pay bills and put food on the table.

[02/19/2021] Winter storm damage creates even bigger obstacle for North Texas residents to access food – The temperatures are rising and the sun is out, but the troubles are far from over at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, where burst pipes caused caved-in ceilings and flooded floors. Normally, on Fridays the church gives food out to those in need, but the damages put those plans on hold.

[02/19/2021] Food Distribution And COVID Updates: Navigating The Aftermath Of The Winter Freeze, While We’re Still In A Pandemic – Dr. Peter Hotez discusses the impact on the winter storm on COVID cases and vaccines. Plus, representatives from HEB, Greater Houston Restaurant Association and Mutual Aid Houston talk about food supply and aid.

[02/18/2021] Food and its packaging are highly unlikely to transmit Covid, top U.S. food and health officials say – U.S. and international health experts again conclude that there is no evidence of transmission of the coronavirus via food or food packaging.

[02/17/2021] Struggling with winter storm aftermath? Here’s where to get free food, water, warmth in North Texas – Organizations across North Texas are coming together to help provide resources from free firewood to hot meals and even water to help residents without power.

[02/04/2021] 26% of U.S. Consumers Planted Food Gardens Because of Coronavirus, reports Packaged Facts – American consumers are planting food gardens.

[02/03/2021] Survey conducted during COVID-19 pandemic shows food security has decreased among Montanans – A statewide survey conducted by Montana State University researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic determined that food security — or having consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life — has decreased substantially among Montanans. At the same time, anxiety and other feelings of mental distress are on the rise.

[02/01/2021] Oregon Food Bank CEO says hunger rate is at worst point in a century – Since the pandemic began in early 2020, the rate of hunger in Oregon has nearly doubled. Based on research done by Oregon State University, the number of people worried about feeding their families went from about one-in-nine to between one-in-four or five Oregonians.

[01/22/2021] Biden To Bump Up Food Assistance For People ‘Hanging By A Thread’ – President Biden plans to sign an executive order on Friday that would increase food stamp benefits to help people going hungry amid the financial downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, his top economic adviser, Brian Deese, told reporters.

[01/15/2021] Why Billions In Food Aid Hasn’t Gotten To Needy Families – When schools shut down in the spring, that raised immediate worries about the nearly 30 million children who depend on school food. Those worries were essentially borne out, with researchers reporting a large rise in child hunger.

[01/02/2021] Need for free food in Washington state has doubled, many groups report, as COVID-19 rips away jobs and security – Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, many organizations that provide free food across Washington have seen demand nearly double.

[12/26/2020] San Antonio Food Bank Doubled Service In 2020 – Food banks have seen demand climb dramatically this year. Eric Cooper of the San Antonio Food Bank talks about how additional federal dollars could make a difference to his clients.

[12/25/2020] Fishermen Team Up With Food Banks To Help Hungry Families – Food assistance programs across the country have started connecting with local fishermen to stock up on local seafood, many for the first time. And the arrangement seems to be helping the fishermen, the economy and those in need of healthy food.

[12/15/2020] US Food Banks Overwhelmed with Demand During Pandemic – Food assistance has skyrocketed since the coronavirus pandemic began in the United States 10 months ago. Job losses, reduced wages, business closures and illness from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, are taking their toll on millions of Americans who are concerned about not having enough food to feed their families. As the coronavirus has surged, people from Anchorage, Alaska, to Atlanta, Georgia, are going to food banks and food distribution centers to pick up free groceries.

[12/09/2020] ‘Unprecedented need:’ San Antonio Food Bank has seen 30% increase in demand since onset of COVID-19 pandemic – An analysis of 181 food banks in Feeding America’s national network showed that food distribution rose by an average of 48.6% in the two quarters of 2020 after the start of the pandemic. Similarly, the San Antonio Food Bank has seen a 30% increase.

[12/02/2020] Immigrant Woman Starts Food Pantry In Her Home To Help Undocumented Families – De la Cruz began collecting food, diapers and milk and started distributing them to friends and neighbors. She called it La Bodeguita de la Gente or The People’s Little Cornerstore.

[11/23/2020] Families Strained by the Pandemic Are Turning to Food Banks Struggling to Keep Up –  Researchers at Northwestern University estimate that food insecurity rates have more than doubled, now impacting as many as 23% of U.S. households this year.

[11/22/2020] Coronavirus Pandemic Leaves Food Banks In Need Of Volunteers – Food banks get a lot of help from volunteers who make meals, distribute food to the needy and help keep things running smoothly. But in the coronavirus era, volunteers can be in short supply.

[11/22/2020] The rise in Americans’ food insecurity – Folks at the San Antonio Food Bank, as well as its hundreds of volunteers like Paul Drummond, haven’t seen the lines stop yet.

[11/15/2020] Once Enthusiastic, Americans’ ‘Cooking Fatigue’ Simmers As Pandemic Drags On – Months into the coronavirus pandemic, the initial novelty of whipping up more homemade meals is fading.

[11/13/2020] Local Food Groups Confront Heightened Hunger Crisis Amid Coronavirus – One million people now face hunger in Massachusetts. Coronavirus has forced a huge increase across the state of residents who don’t know where or how they will get their next meal. Worse, the non-profit Feeding America reports that the increased percentage of hungry Bay Staters is greater than any other in the nation. While the pandemic fuels unemployment, more people than ever join lengthening food pantry lines, many for the first time. Children and people of color are affected disproportionally. Meanwhile, a federal response remains stalled. How have hunger organizations coped with the challenge of increased demand for food? Three groups from the region talk to us about how they’ve multiplied their efforts.

[10/22/2020] As another wave of the pandemic approaches, the nation’s food banks are being hit on three fronts – Leaders at food banks are taking a number of measures in anticipation of the potentially challenging months ahead. But as the US battles a third wave of the pandemic, a critical line of defense against hunger hangs in the balance.

[10/14/2020] “Staggering” need: COVID-19 has led to rising levels in food insecurity across the U.S. – with the arrival of COVID-19 cases in the state, Martin said that several of the groups providing food and resources saw significant changes.

[10/14/2020] COVID-19 pandemic erases two decades of food security gains in Texas, U.S. – The level of food-insecure households has risen significantly in the wake of COVID-19, according to speakers at a recent panel of the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

[10/07/2020] Millions Of Americans Can’t Afford Enough To Eat As Pandemic Relief Stalls In D.C. – Two years ago, about 12% of American households reported they didn’t have enough food. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, that number has nearly doubled. It’s even more severe for Black and Hispanic families.

[10/07/2020] Pandemic Drives More Americans To Food Banks – As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, more Americans are finding themselves in need of financial assistance. Food banks are feeling the pinch.

[09/27/2020] In Rural Nebraska, Combating Hunger From The Pandemic Is A Community Effort – Lexington, Neb., is just one of the many rural communities that has long dealt with food insecurity, but the global pandemic both intensified need in the town of 11,000 residents and presented new challenges in getting people food.

[09/27/2020] In Affluent Maryland County, Pandemic Exacerbates Food Insecurity – Since March, food insecurity has grown throughout the U.S., including in Montgomery County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country.

[09/08/2020] ‘Children Are Going Hungry’: Why Schools Are Struggling To Feed Students – In many districts, the majority of children who qualify for subsidized school meals aren’t getting them — often because they can’t get to them.

[07/31/2020] COVID-19 risks to global food security – This article in Science outlines the main threats COVID-19 poses to food security and suggests critical responses that policy-makers should consider to prevent this global health crisis from becoming a global food crisis.

[05/28/2020] 14 Million People In Latin America, Caribbean At Risk Of Hunger, U.N. Report Says — At risk of hunger during COVID-19

[05/22/2020] Anonymous African American donors step up to tackle food insecurity during COVID-19 pandemic — Tackling food insecurity during COVID-19

[05/13/2020] Soaring Prices, Rotting Crops: Coronavirus Triggers Global Food Crisis – The coronavirus pandemic hit the world at a time of plentiful harvests and ample food reserves. Yet a cascade of protectionist restrictions, transport disruptions and processing breakdowns has dislocated the global food supply and put the planet’s most vulnerable regions in particular peril.

[05/12/2020] We’re Eating At Home And It’s Costing Us More – New inflation numbers out Tuesday from the Labor Department offer a window on how consumers are coping in the COVID-19 era. And the bottom line is that we’re snacking more — and paying more for a lot of food — as we shop more at our local grocery stores.

[05/03/2020] Trump’s order to keep meat plants open mistakes meat shortage for a food shortage—President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating meat processing plants to stay open, despite growing coronavirus cases at meat plants, is rife with problems. It endangers the lives of thousands of workers and their communities.

[05/02/2020] “Trying to Prevent Massive Food Waste”— With schools and businesses shut down, many farmers are unable to sell their crops, and have had to destroy fresh food. The US Department of Agriculture will  begin buying surplus produce to try and combat the massive amount of food waste coming– but will this be enough?

[05/01/2020]  “Meat-Processing Plants Struggle to Stay Open”— As the pandemic continues, many meat-packing plants around the country are shutting down, due to outbreaks. All of this could lead to a meat shortage, and hundreds of euthanized animals.

[05/01/2020] Covid-19’s Third Shock Wave: The Global Food Crisis – In San Antonio, 10,000 families began arriving before dawn on April 9 to receive free boxes of food at a shuttered mall; in a normal week, 200–400 families might show up. In Nairobi, Kenya, thousands of desperately poor people seeking government food aid on April 10 were beaten back by the police, causing multiple injuries. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, thousands of unpaid garment workers defied stay-at-home orders on April 13 to block roads and demand their wages, saying they’d rather risk contagion than go without food. “We are starving,” said one protester. “If we don’t have food in our stomach, what’s the use of observing this lockdown?

[04/30/2020] “Remdesivir proves effective against COVID-19 in NIAID human clinical trials”  — A study, in part developed by the Baric Lab at UNC, has shown that the anti-viral drug remdesivir, and shortening recovery time.

[04/27/2020] Meat processing plants across the US are closing due to the pandemic. Will consumers feel the impact?—Concerns about the US food chain supply made their way into the mainstream this week, as more meat processing and packaging plants suspend operations temporarily due to coronavirus outbreaks in the workforce.

[04/27/2020] “Food Safety, Nutrition, and Wellness during COVID-19” — Read some helpful tips for maintaining physical and mental wellness during stay-at-home orders.

[04/17/2020] “USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Programs” — Press releasing announcing the establishment of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to aid farmers and ranchers.

[04/14/2020] “Pakistan Has a Plan to Keep Millions From Going Hungry During Shutdown. Will it work?” — In Pakistan, millions of low-paid laborers are concerned about being able to afford food in light of stay-at-home orders. By offering financial assistance to 12 million households, the government hopes to keep people inside, and fed.

[04/14/2020] Food Banks Across the U.S. See Skyrocketing Demands and Fewer Donations – More than 16 million people have filed for unemployment in the last three weeks— a number that is expected to grow— causing demand at food banks to skyrocket.

[04/13/2020] “U.S. Food Supply Chain is Strained as Virus Spreads” — Potential shortages are expected as the national food supply chain experiences signs of strain

[04/11/2020] “Dumped Milk, Smashed Eggs, Plowed Vegetables: Food Waste of the Pandemic” — An article detailing the effects of the pandemic on farmers, largely due to the closure of restaurants, hotels, and schools.

[04/07/2020] “Cooking during COVID-19: Family Meals and Fantasies Of Future Dinner Parties” — Hear one writer’s perspective on communal eating, shopping, and improvised cooking during COVID-19.

[04/06/2020] “Commentary:  Food Insecurity Adds to COVID-19 Vulnerability for too many” — This commentary explores how certain demographic groups are made more vulnerable to food security issues by COVID-19.

[04/06/2020] “Ensuring Global Food Security in the Time of COVID-19” — This resource provides important visuals to show global hunger patterns and discusses how the G20 response could aid in global food security.

[04/03/2020] “California’s Coronavirus Food Security Efforts for Immigrant Californians” — Read about California’s efforts to protect immigrants and their access to services such as food resources.

[03/31/2020] “The Impact of Coronavirus on Food Insecurity” — The number of individuals facing food insecurity is expected to grow as unemployment rises.

[03/26/2020] “USDA Makes it Easier to Feed Kids and Those Who Need Food During the COVID-19 National Emergency” — The USDA is granting flexibility to allow parents to pick up their child’s meals through USDA’s child nutrition programs without a child present, along with other flexibilities.

[03/24/2020] “Coronavirus Has Made Tackling Food Insecurity in the Bay Area Far More Difficult” — This article explores how the San Francisco Bay area has responded to the coronavirus, focusing on responses by local food banks and restaurants.

[03/23/2020] “Coronavirus on Campus: College Students Scramble to Solve Food Insecurity and Housing Challenges” — College students face many barriers to education during this crisis, but some also lack access to safe food and housing.

[03/23/2020]  Food Banks Facing Shortages Due to Coronavirus – As people in COVID-19 hot spots prepare for self-quarantine, they stock up on shelf-stable foods and other goods. Photos of empty supermarket shelves are commonplace. But even as those who can afford it go shopping, food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens — crucial support for the most vulnerable Americans — face extreme shortages.

[03/16/2020] “For Millions of Low-Income Seniors, Coronavirus is a Food Security Issue” — Read about how senior citizens are disproportionately impacted by food security issues and health risks.

[03/16/2020] “How to Minimize the Impact of Coronavirus on Food Security” — What will happen to food security under new, unprecedented conditions? Some say the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting the food supply chain, but it doesn’t necessarily have to turn into a crisis.