September is Hunger Action Month: a time when Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, as part of the Feeding America network, and the public come together to raise awareness and help our neighbors facing the impossible choices of hunger. We know hunger exists in every community in the U.S. We also know rural communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by economic instability—like the soaring inflation rate that is the highest it's been in 40 years. Neighbors who have already been working to overcome the hardships wrought by the effects of the pandemic, are now faced with a 10% increase to buy groceries for their family. When difficult times hit, food can be the first thing people forego to make ends meet.
For many, a daily meal is a simple choice of what to eat. But for people facing hunger, a daily meal poses a very different type of choice. It's often an impossible choice between food and other crucial needs, such as electricity, childcare or medicine.
In partnership with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, the Food Shuttle is striving to address the needs of our neighbors who are facing these impossible choices.
During September, the Food Shuttle encourages you to take action against hunger. Learn. Volunteer. Advocate. Donate.
During Hunger Action Month, all members of the community are encouraged to take action. Every donation, volunteer shift, and social media post bring the efforts of Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and the Feeding America network that much closer to our goal: a hunger free community.
LEARN
Visit https://www.foodshuttle.org/hunger-101 to learn about hunger in and our community and across the state of North Carolina
Read real stories of people facing hunger at https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog
VOLUNTEER
Give the gift of your time as a volunteer in one of the Food Shuttle’s varied initiatives to end hunger. Get started at https://www.foodshuttle.org/volunteer
DONATE
Become a sustaining monthly donor to the Food Shuttle and take action against hunger all year long at www.FoodShuttle.org/Cultivators
Make a donation to Inter-Faith and have it matched through your company’s matching gift program, www.FoodShuttle.org/HAM
Host a virtual or neighborhood food drive. Learn how to set up your drive at https://www.foodshuttle.org/donate-food
ADVOCATE
Sign the pledge to join the Campaign to End Hunger. Help build a community of committed individuals to end hunger across the nation at https://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/advocate/campaign-to-end-hunger
Wear orange (the color of hunger awareness) throughout the month of September to spread awareness and show your commitment towards ending hunger.
Post on your preferred social media platform and explain how you are choosing to end hunger. Ask your followers to join you!
Organize a group volunteer day at Inter-Faith. Learn about group volunteer opportunities at https://foodshuttle.org/groupvolunteer
To emphasize the need for increased hunger relief efforts, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina have also created a calendar for 30 Days of Hunger Action. 30 Days of Hunger Action is an interactive way to continue learning, volunteering, donating, and advocating. We’re asking our community to participate in as many days as possible, as each effort directly helps our neighbors in need. Click here to access our calendar.
The Food Shuttle held a Hunger Action Month Open House on Thursday, September 22 and welcomed guests from the community to the Vernon Malone Center to learn about our programs, meet our staff, and tour our warehouse.
Friday, September 23, was designated Hunger Action Day. To mark this special day of hunger awareness, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper paid a call to the Food Bank, where they were joined by Food Bank and Food Shuttle staff and volunteers. Governor Cooper said 12% of North Carolina’s population cannot count on a good meal everyday. "One in six of those people are children. That is unacceptable. We have a lot of work to do. Our Department of Health and Human Services is working to administer several programs that help people," said Cooper. After touring the bountiful Food Bank Demonstration Garden, everyone moved indoors to sort and bag sweet potatoes for distribution.
First Lady and Governor Cooper with Food Shuttle staff members
On Thursday, September 29, the Food Shuttle and the Food Bank will present a Virtual Town Hall to discuss how the two organizations are working together to address hunger relief in our shared service area. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle VP of Operations and Logistics Melvin Acosta will be joined by Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC Senior VP of Operations Charlie Hale for this hour-long online event, starting at 12 p.m. You can register for the Town Hall discussion here.
At Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, we believe that hunger IS solvable and that food shouldn’t be an impossible choice. Our partnership with the Food Bank reaffirms our beliefs that our community should work with one another to create a healthy and hunger-free North Carolina. Across our region, many face the impossible choice between a daily meal and other necessities. You have a choice. Choose to end hunger. Together, we can win the fight against food insecurity.