CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Not every household has access to nutritious food or to a warm meal. A Charlotte organization wants to change that and help combat hunger and help feed families across the queen city and beyond.
“We thought what better way to support our community than by supporting local businesses in the area emerging out of the pandemic and connecting them with people in need of food,” said Jen Classic with City Kitch
City Kitch is a shared commercial kitchen space with over 40 businesses using its equipment and resources to operate.
“We are making it easier for people to realize their dreams or if they are trying to grow their footprint we can help them do that” she adds.
The organization is tackling food hunger through its new charity organization the City Kitch Community Works. People can sponsor meals that will then be prepared by local food businesses and served to people in need.
“So what we are trying to do is connect donations to local businesses to fulfill,” said Classic. “And we’re partnering with Feeding Charlotte to get the food out to community members that need it the most.”
Restaurants can also donate any excess food they have as well.
“We would love to make sure that everyone in Charlotte who needs a meal gets a meal,” said Sarah Henderson, director of communications for Feeding Charlotte. “And so when we grow our partnerships it gets us closer to that goal.”
“There are some times when people just have a short-term lack of food access. Someone may lose a job, and they just need quick help and a leg up to provide access to food,” said Allison Nelson with the Mecklenburg County Office of Policy and Prevention. “But it can also be on the flip side, it can be a long term, lack of access as well.”
It's an issue the county is addressing through several programs and community partnerships.
“We look at solutions to food insecurity, namely looking at food access, looking at ways that we can partner with community groups to build resources, and really enhance the net of food security in our county that we work in,” Nelson adds.
Programs like these help to bridge the gap of food insecurity in the county.
“You have dinner on your table every night and you might not think of people who do not have that opportunity,” said Classic. “So to help them feel that they are nourished at the end of the night and they have fulfillment is huge and we are really excited to be a part of that.”
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.