FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO NC RESIDENTS

Jamie Butler Alt |

March 01, 2024 |

Resources

Food insecurity is more than not having enough food. It’s not being able to access food how and when you need it. Using all the tools at your disposal is the first step to making sure your family is fed. Federal assistance programs like FNS/SNAP and WIC let users shop for the foods they need at stores in their neighborhoods.

• FNS (or SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a program that helps eligible people supplement their budgets to purchase food. The supplement is given on an EBT card, which works like a debit card. You can use the funds at most stores, just look for signs that indicate they accept SNAP/EBT.

• WIC (or The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) aims to ensure the health of eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women; infants, and children up to age 5 by providing healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, & community referrals.

You’re able to learn more and apply for both benefits here.

Apply for NC Benefits

The Map the Meal Gap study is supported by Conagra Brands Foundation, Enterprise Mobility Foundation, and NielsenIQ/NIQ. Additional key takeaways from the report can be found on the Map the Meal Gap website along with an interactive map that details food insecurity by geography, income, race, and ethnicity.

Methodology:

Map the Meal Gap uses publicly available data from the USDA Economic Research Service, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate local food insecurity at the county, congressional district, and state levels. The study also estimates local meal costs and food budget shortfalls using food price data from NIQ, based on the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, and grocery sales tax data for every county and state in the country.

To learn how food insecurity impacts your community, visit FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap. For more information about Feeding the Carolinas and how to help end hunger in the Carolinas, visit FeedingtheCarolinas.org.