Food Banks call for restored funding to meet growing need and strengthen crisis response.
RALEIGH, NC — As food insecurity continues to rise across North Carolina, Food Bank leaders, partner agencies and staff from across the state will gather at the North Carolina General Assembly on May 12 to urge lawmakers to restore critical funding that helps feed families and strengthen the state’s emergency food system.
The visit comes at a time when Food Banks are experiencing unprecedented demand. Many Food Banks across the Carolinas report a 30% or greater increase in need compared to last year. In several North Carolina communities—particularly those still recovering from Hurricane Helene—food banks have set new records for the number of individuals seeking assistance in a single month.
“The price of food is rising, and so is hunger. The time to act is now,” said Eric Aft, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC and Chair of the Feeding the Carolinas Board of Directors. “We are seeing more working families than ever before turn to Food Banks for help, and we need the state’s partnership to ensure no one goes hungry—especially during times of crisis.”
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 7 North Carolinians— including 1 in 5 children—lives in a food-insecure household. Feeding the Carolinas anticipates that hunger will increase further in the coming year due to economic pressures and policy changes.
Recent and ongoing challenges have compounded the issue. Last fall, a federal government shutdown created hardship and uncertainty for approximately 200,000 federal employees, active-duty military members, and contractors in North Carolina—many of them, as other working North Carolinians often are, were just one missed paycheck away from needing food assistance.
At the same time, anticipated changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), are expected to reduce access for many households. Currently, SNAP helps 1.4 million North Carolinians put food on the table each month, with 43% of households including children.
Even with strong charitable efforts, Food Banks cannot replace the scale of federal nutrition programs. For every one meal provided by Food Banks, SNAP provides nine. As SNAP access decreases, more families will turn to already strained food banks and local pantries for support.
Despite these growing challenges, state funding that has historically supported North Carolina Food Banks—particularly funding that enables the purchase of fresh food from local farmers—has not yet been renewed.
“Food Banks will continue to show up for our communities, no matter the circumstances,” said Ann Edmondson, Executive Director of Feeding the Carolinas. “But we cannot do it alone. Restoring this funding is essential to ensuring that in times of crisis or disaster, our state is prepared and our neighbors are cared for.”
Food Bank leaders are calling on lawmakers to restore this critical budget appropriation and invest in a stronger, more resilient food system for North Carolina.
About Feeding the Carolinas
Feeding the Carolinas is the dual-state association of the ten Feeding America-affiliated Food Banks in North and South Carolina. Feeding the Carolinas’ member Food Banks serve all 100 North Carolina counties and all 46 South Carolina counties. Together with the more than 3,700 local charitable agencies they support, they serve the 2.3 million Carolinians facing hunger annually.