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Churches, hospitals step up to the plate to combat food insecurity

Program leaders say inflation is forcing more families to reach out for help to put food on the table.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The rising cost of groceries is making it harder for families to put food on the table. Charlotte-area organizations and hospitals are seeking solutions to keep people from going hungry. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery costs are up almost 12% when comparing December 2022 to December 2021. 

Sherry Ashford with Reeder Memorial Baptist Church's food pantry told WCNC Charlotte inflation is forcing people who have never asked for help to reach out to them. 

"A lot of them are apologizing for having to do that," Ashford shared. "A lot of them have said, 'We didn’t know you were here because we never needed you.'"

The food pantry has tripled the number of households it serves since last year, which is clearing out its shelves faster than volunteers can keep up with. 

"The capacity is just overwhelming,” Ashford said. 

Reeder Memorial is serving 200 families a month, that’s 400 boxes of food and household items. The pantry has information on its website on how to give monetary and nonperishable donations.

WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.

Hospitals are also stepping up to the plate to battle food insecurity. Novant Health is offering emergency food packs to patients in the Charlotte area.

“We can’t just send folks home after a clinic visit knowing they do not have enough food for the night," Dr. Jerome Williams Jr. told WCNC Charlotte.

The cardiologist said Novant started screening clinic patients for food insecurity in January 2022. Patients showing a dire need for food are now given an emergency pack of four days’ worth of food right there at their visit.  

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“We definitely have seen more folks that are screening positive and coming in for support with nutrition,” Williams Jr. added. 

Plus, StarMed is providing fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved neighborhoods with its new farm program called “food as medicine.” 

According to Mecklenburg County, nearly 15% of households are considered food insecure 

Access to food is vital for someone's health and well-being. That’s why these programs are lending a helping hand.

WCNC Charlotte is teaming up once again with Boy Scouts of America to help fight hunger in the community and make a difference through the Scouting For Food drive.  

Scouts with the Mecklenburg County Council, Central NC Council and Palmetto Council will go door-to-door on Saturday, Feb. 4 to collect much-needed donations for various food pantries.

All of the donations collected by the Mecklenburg County Council benefit Loaves & Fishes. Scouting For Food is their single largest food drive of the year.   

Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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