HUNGER IN NORTH CAROLINA
Our country is still reeling from the challenges of a public health and economic crisis. More than one and half million North Carolinians may not have enough to eat.
Food insecurity was a significant challenge facing our communities before the pandemic. Now, Feeding America is reporting that 1 in 6 of our neighbors here in Northwest North Carolina may struggle with hunger this year.
Families are struggling to stretch their incomes to cover basic needs. Together, we can change that.
1 in 6 people in Northwest North Carolina is food insecure.
1 in 5 children doesn't get enough food to thrive.
Low wages. Fixed incomes that are not keeping up with rising costs of living. Poverty.
These are among the challenges that impact the economic stability of families, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened matters. Hunger is the symptom of this economic uncertainty.
Millions of people across the nation face these challenges - but children and seniors, are among the most vulnerable.
WHAT DOES HUNGER LOOK LIKE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
Hunger in Northwest North Carolina.
Second Harvest serves communities across 18 counties, from Boone to Burlington. Some communities are cities, some are college towns, many are rural communities. But not one is immune to hunger.
(The county fact sheets below and on the right are being updated and will offer a deeper dive into the challenges facing the area.)
Note: The data in the interactive map below reflect Pre-COVID food insecurity rates, while the county fact sheets to the right of the map reflect post-COVID 19 date from Feeding America.
Our Counties
HUNGER & HEALTH
Hunger is not just about calories...it's about health.
Food is expensive and fresh, healthy options are even more so. Families frequently are forced to choose quantity (filling up bellies) over quality (healthier, nutrient-rich options).
The connection between hunger and health is clear: Obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related illnesses are higher in food-insecure households.
Follow our social feeds to see work connecting hunger and health
RESEARCH
To find solutions to hunger, we have to understand it.
Service Insights
Second Harvest works with our 18 county partner network to collect information on hunger and health in their communities. Learn more here.
Map the Meal Gap
This annual Feeding America study demonstrates the urgent need for each of us to find ways to be part of the solution to the problem of hunger in our local community. Information from the most recent study is captured in the county facts sheets available on this page.
State of Senior Hunger Report
Our partner programs are seeing more and more seniors as our population ages and seniors are trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes. Read the report here.
GET IN TOUCH
3330 Shorefair Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Tel: 336-784-5770
Fax: 336.784.7369