WASHINGTON, N.C. -- Rural communities across North Carolina are working to meet the rising needs of residents who are unable to access healthy food as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Many already grappled with longstanding health inequities before COVID-19, but local groups have stepped up efforts amid the public-health crisis.

Bill Booth, executive director of the Alpha Life Enrichment Center in Beaufort County, said most of the farming done in the area involves row crops -- like corn, soybeans and tobacco -- rather than fresh vegetables that residents can access locally.

Instead, most live in so-called "food deserts" with limited options for grocery shopping. Booth added that more than 32% of Beaufort County's population lives in poverty. His organization is spearheading an effort to build a community food co-op in the town of Aurora.

"In the next couple of weeks, hopefully, we'll be able to go in and begin to transform that building into a cooperative grocery store," Booth said. "We'll be working with the local growers in the area."

The group also is providing regular meals to front-line health-care workers at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, and has donated personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies to local emergency hunger-relief groups.

In Halifax County, Chester Williams of the group A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2) said while workshops and community dinners have been canceled, some residents are growing their own food in response to the pandemic, using gardening starter kits provided by his organization.

As ABC2's founder and CEO, he's convinced that the coronavirus is changing how residents think about health and access to fresh food.

"We have a young person that started a salad garden, and now, they have salad they can eat with their family," Williams explained. "So, it's going through different conversations and different actions of change. Not relying on other but relying on yourself -- and then, interdependent in our community to sustain ourselves. "

According to 2019 data from Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, more than 12,000 in Halifax County are considered food insecure, a number that is expected to increase because of the pandemic.

More information about these and other local efforts to improve food security is online as part of the Healthy Places NC Initiative on the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust website.



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By Reyna Revelle for WISH-TV.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

Indiana state government has canceled a summer groceries program for families with kids.

The decision has raised concerns about food security for families.

Last summer, some Hoosier families a crucial boost of $120 per child for grocery assistance while schools were closed. It benefited around 669,000 children.

Kate Howe, executive director for Indy Hunger Network, spoke with News 8 on Wednesday about the U.S. Department of Agriculture summer grocery service program, known as SUN Bucks. “We’re not really sure why Indiana decided not to participate. The information we’ve been hearing is that it’s expensive for the state to administer. But, it’s actually relatively cheap compared to some other things, and most of the cost is covered by the federal government.”

Groceries purchased with SUN Bucks could be paired with free summer meals and meal-to-go options to help ensure kids do not go hungry while schools aren’t in session for the summer. However, Indiana has cut the federal program after just one year, and, for many, the only remaining option is meal sites.

Howe said, “Some counties don’t have very many sites. Kids might have to walk a really long way to get to a meal site. I’ve heard of some counties where the closest meals might be 15 miles away. You don’t always know that the food that will be available is food that you like or can eat, based on allergies, dietary restrictions, etc. Those free meal sites are only for the kids as well, only for kids who are under 18.”

“There are a lot of cuts happening that could really impact Hoosiers and food access. We’re really nervous about what we’re seeing. We’re already seeing record lines at food pantries across the city.”

Gov. Mike Braun’s office and the Indiana Department of Agriculture did not immediately reply to News 8 requests to find out why the program was cut and what was the cost to operate it. The Department of Education shared a statement.

“While Sunbucks will be discontinued for 2025, students in low-income areas of the state can still receive free summer meals at approximately 1,000 locations (schools and other organizations) through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program,” said Molly Williams, a spokeswoman for Indiana Department of Education.

Throughout the summer, families can find Summer Food Service Program locations through the Site Finder Map or through the Hunger Hotline. The Hunger Hotline can be reached from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. ET weekdays at 866-348-6479 for English language or 877-842-6273 for Spanish language.


Reyna Revelle wrote this article for WISH-TV.


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Families gathered at the Oregon State Capitol for what they called a "snack-in" last week to call attention to child hunger across Oregon.

Participants handed out snacks while urging lawmakers to pass the Food for All Oregonians bill.

The bill would extend food benefits to all children under the age of six living in the state, including immigrants and refugees.

Rachael Lucille, network communication strategist with Oregon Food Bank, said state lawmakers need to respond to rising hunger and possible cuts to food stamps by the Trump administration.

"Seeing kids at the Capitol building was really powerful to show these are the people that we're advocating for," said Lucille, "and it shouldn't matter where you were born, every child deserves nourishing, familiar food."

Research shows one in six children in Oregon don't have enough food, with visits to the food bank increasing over 30% last year.

Opponents of the bill worry about the added cost, but supporters argue data shows every purchase made with food stamps generates $1.50 for Oregon's economy.

Lucille said many parents across the state are having to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, and she said she knows first-hand what that feels like.

"And now that I am not in that situation," said Lucille, "I still want to make sure that all of my neighbors and everybody across the state of Oregon is also not having to make those really hard decisions."

Andrea Williams is also with Oregon Food Bank, serving as president.

She said during the pandemic, rates of hunger fell thanks to government supports, and have since increased since the funding stopped. She said feeding the hungry is a policy decision.

"It is a choice that decision-makers, lawmakers can make," said Williams, "whether or not kids should have access to enough food to eat."

Williams said the fate of the Food for All Oregonians bill hinges on an upcoming Ways and Means Committee decision.

Congressional Republicans are poised to move forward with a proposal that would bring major cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

In Minnesota, groups aligned with farmers warn that the economic pain would run deep. SNAP benefits cover certain grocery costs for low-income Americans, and the program could be swept up in $230 billion worth of funding cuts over the next decade, if the plan passes. One provision calls on states to pick up some of the funding even though many Legislatures would face difficulties in finding the money.

Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director with The Food Group in Minnesota, said beyond recipients, local economies would be disrupted, too.

"Certainly, folks are going to farmers' markets to use their SNAP [benefits], so that's gonna be an impact to farmers' bottom lines," she explained.

She said it's also likely local grocery stores will see reduced activity, especially in rural areas, where program participation is higher. A coalition opposed to the plan says every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in local economic activity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture argues the Trump administration is trying to "right-size" the program. But even some House Republicans express worry.

Farmers markets began accepting SNAP benefits around 20 years ago. Willa Sheikh, acting director of the Farmers Market Coalition, said nationally, numbers show how much of a force this option has become.

"Just using data from 2023, we know that SNAP users made over 1.7 million purchases at farmer's markets," Sheikh said. "That's a contribution of over $42 million into local economies."

Last year's total contribution level tapered off from the previous year, but it's still triple what was seen prior to the pandemic. Sheikh said vendors who are beginning or historically marginalized farmers rely heavily on SNAP customers. She noted that transportation and packaging companies could suffer if fewer products are moved.

The budget blueprint is part of larger discussions about ways to offset tax-cut extensions prioritized by the White House.