In central North Carolina, summer is just on the horizon and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Spring Matching Challenge has wrapped up in a big way. Thanks to generous supporters, the matching opportunity exceeded its goal and the Food Shuttle is sailing into the summer months ready to meet the needs of families, children, and seniors. During the Spring Match, April 1 through May 31, the Food Shuttle’s community rallied together to raise over $313,000. When added to the $125,000 in matching funds provided by the Mead Family Foundation and Citrix, over $438,000 was raised in an amazing effort in just two short months.
The Food Shuttle is grateful to the nearly 1,400 donors—individuals and businesses--that responded to this campaign, with gifts both large and small. Support came through a variety of avenues, and even reconnected some Food Shuttle neighbors from the past. This includes 95-year-old Elvin Birth, who used to receive Grocery Bags for Seniors from the Food Shuttle, and was inspired by the match to make a $65,000 donation.
The Spring Matching Challenge was made possible by $50,000 in funding by the Mead Family Foundation and $75,000 in funding from Citrix. The Mead Family Foundation has been a partner to the Food Shuttle for over eight years and has invested over a quarter million dollars into the Food Shuttle’s transformative mission. Joining the Mead Family Foundation is Citrix. Citrix has provided a significant investment in the Food Shuttle’s COVID-19 response efforts since 2020. Kurt Heusner, Global Vice President for the Americas Commercial & Public Sector at Citrix, is a member of the Food Shuttle’s Board of Directors and shares, “It’s an honor to have a front row view of the response of the community and its recognition of the needs facing children and their families. On behalf of the Food Shuttle’s Board of Directors and our team at Citrix, I extend a huge thank you to all who participated in this spring’s matching challenge.”
The summer months are of particular concern to those facing food insecurity, especially for children, when free and reduced-cost school meals are not available. Child food insecurity in North Carolina is projected to be 20% this year due to COVID-19 (Feeding America, November 2020). When children miss meals, they are losing out on more than nutrition. When they do not get enough to eat, children are more likely to experience chronic medical conditions like asthma and anemia. They are even more likely to become hospitalized.
Thanks to the generosity of those who doubled their gifts through the Spring Match Opportunity, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle can continue to ensure that children in central North Carolina get the food they need to grow and thrive this summer.