Crop Walk Raleigh Announces the Annual Event's Date, Time, and Benefiting Organizations

INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE IS PARTNER AGENCY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jul 13, 2011—CROP WALK RELEASE

Triangle - The 2011 Raleigh CROP Hunger Walk will be held on Sunday, October 30 at 3 p.m. The Walk will start and finish at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. The CROP Hunger Walk is a community-based fundraiser that seeks to end hunger locally and across the globe by benefiting Church World Service and several local organizations, including Urban Ministries of Wake County, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Catholic Parish Outreach, North Raleigh Ministries, and Partners for Strong Communities. Individuals, companies, and more than 200 Raleigh area congregations demonstrate a community effort by participating in the CROP Hunger Walk each year. We hope that the 2011 Raleigh CROP Hunger Walk will be the best yet! For more information, please visit http://www.crophungerwalk.org/, call 888-CWS- CROP (888-297-2767), or become a fan on Facebook or follow @cropwalkraleigh on Twitter.

IFFS 20 Year Partnership with NC State Farmers Market Yields Over 50 Million Pounds of Fresh Produce for Local People Facing Food Hardship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jun 30, 2011—RALEIGH

Today, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle celebrates its 20 year partnership with the NC State Farmers Market by recovering fresh North Carolina produce, as the Food Shuttle has done six days a week since June 12th, 1991.

The impact of this two-decade partnership is immense -- 50 million pounds of fresh food donated by the farmers, retailers and wholesalers of the NC State Farmers Market delivered to agencies providing food to people in need.

As in most things, it started with one person who wanted to do something good. That person was Barbara Johnson, a farmer from McCullers, NC. Barbara donated one Wednesday afternoon in June 1991 and by the end of the following week, everyone on the Market was participating.

IFFS volunteers would pick up the daily unsellables from the wholesalers and the truckers in the morning and the farmers and retailers in the afternoon. For the first time area soup kitchens and shelters could serve their guests fresh fruits and vegetables -- the most nutritious foods that were impossible to get before Farmer Johnson’s donations.

Jill Staton Bullard, co-founder and one of those original volunteers at the State Farmers Market said, "The summer of 1991 was a critical turning point for us. We had to decide where to spend our energies and we decided to go with fresh foods. Between 1990 and 1991 IFFS experienced a 1,542% increase of food donations because of our partnership with the State Farmers' Market. We went from 12,500 pounds of food recovered from restaurants and grocery stores in 1990 to192,850 in 1991 because of the wonderful donors of fresh fruits and veggies at the NC State Farmers Market. "

"When Jill and I first met we hit it off right off the bat when I worked for the USDA as an egg inspector. She has always been concerned that healthy food reaches people who are hungry instead of being thrown out,” commented Market Manager Ronnie Best. "Because of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, our farmers are able to do so much more than recycle food. Unsold produce is collected by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The Food Shuttle redistributes it to people who are hungry. When food is not fit for human consumption, the Food Shuttle composts it for use on their teaching farm. That way food donations that are not used to feed folks are feeding the soil. This is a great partnership for us and we are happy to join with the Food Shuttle in marking this anniversary.”

###

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community.

http://www.foodshuttle.org/

Help Tornado Families

WRAL-TV FOOD DRIVE @ FOOD SHUTTLE THIS FRIDAY; RISEUP RALEIGH RAISES FUND FOR IFFS ON JUNE 3RD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 18, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

Learn more

Help Families Impacted by the Tornadoes

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011

Capitol Broadcasting and WRAL-TV are partnering with The Inter-faith Food Shuttle in Raleigh for a daylong collection drive for Wake County families impacted by the tornado. The relief effort will be held at 1001 Blair Drive in Raleigh from 6AM to 7PM. Donations accepted include: dry goods, juice, canned meat, cereal, healthy snacks, and bottled water. http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/story/9613576/

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011

“Rise Up Raleigh” will feature concerts from 11 terrific bands at the city amphitheater as well as street performers and vendors along the blocks leading to and from the facility at Lenoir and Cabarrus streets. The charities that will receive the proceeds from the concert are the Salvation Army of Wake County, Centro International de Raleigh, the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Help hands Mission. The United Way of the Greater Triangle is processing the donations and is not charging an administrative fee for doing so. Donations to the concert that will begin at 5 p.m. and rock to 11 p.m. will be accepted at the gate. The Mayor encouraged residents who may be unable to attend the event to send their donations to www.unitedwaytriangle.org/tornado or www.riseupraleigh.com.

HELP INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE

If You Would Like to Help

1.  Donate Money –Donate online www.foodshuttle.org or send a check to P.O. Box 14638, Raleigh NC 27620.
2.  Donate Food - Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC 27620. Food Items most needed:

• • Fresh Produce
• • Dry Goods- Rice, Beans, Flour, Sugar, Grits, Oatmeal
• • 100% Juice (large bottles or individual)
• • Canned Meats (Tuna, Chicken)
• • Cereal
• • Healthy Snacks
• • Water (jugs or bottles)

3. Donate Your Time – Volunteer! Please visit our website to sign up or call (919) 250-0043.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Action

Video: Food In, Food Prepared & Food Out - Jill Staton Bullard, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s co-founder and executive director.

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE  The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce for low-income community members for more than 22 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and an United Way Agency of Excellence. www.foodshuttle.org

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Impact - Tornado Aftermath

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE IMPACT IN AFTERMATH OF APRIL 16th TORNADOES

Raleigh, NC - Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS) reports on impact of Emergency Relief to devastated neighborhoods a month after tornadoes hit the Triangle. In the first week after tornadoes hit our state, IFFS:

• • Distributed over 150,000 pounds of emergency food and water
• • Provided boxes filled with food to more than 1325 people in 350 families
• • Prepared and served 1,000 free, hot meals a day for four days
• • Served a full Easter Dinner, complete with Easter Baskets

IFFS distributed an average of ten tons of emergency food each day to people impacted by the tornadoes and served hot meals where the tornadoes hit hardest. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle worked with the City of Raleigh, Red Cross and NC Baptist Men to provide them with food and supplement their efforts in the Triangle. In addition to our immediate emergency efforts, IFFS held free mobile markets in the Stony Brook neighborhood and Four Oaks community. We also distributed directly to families more than 1000 food boxes. Despite the fact that Inter-Faith Food Shuttle did not have power itself days after the tornadoes, IFFS staff and volunteers meet the emergency needs and continued delivering our planned services and distribution.

“Our community came together to help address the emergency. Companies and organizations called wanting to donate food and volunteers just showed up at our doors and asked what they could do to help. Food Shuttle put them to work and distributed the food to people in need,” said Terri Hutter, COO Food Service & Job Training for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

The need continues and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is committed to continue to help families impacted by the tornadoes by increasing the food collected for and distributed to our 212 partner programs and agencies (soup kitchens, shelters, pantries, etc), conducting free mobile markets and delivering food boxes. We are working closely with our distribution partners in areas hardest hit to provide much needed food.

If You Need Help:

Please call the Inter-Faith food Shuttle at (919) 250-0043.

If You Would Like to Help

1.  Donate Money –Donate online www.foodshuttle.org or send a check to P.O. Box 14638, Raleigh NC 27620.
2.  Donate Food - Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC 27620. Food Items most needed:

• Fresh Produce
•  Dry Goods- Rice, Beans, Flour, Sugar, Grits, Oatmeal
•  100% Juice (large bottles or individual)
•  Canned Meats (Tuna, Chicken)
•  Cereal
•  Healthy Snacks
•  Water (jugs or bottles)

3. Donate Your Time – Volunteer! Please visit our website to sign up or call (919) 250-0043.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Action

Video: Food In, Food Prepared & Food Out - Jill Staton Bullard, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s co-founder and executive director.

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE

The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce for low-income community members for more than 22 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and an United Way Agency of Excellence. www.foodshuttle.org

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Sets Up Free Market for People Hit by Tornado in Four Oaks, NC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Apr 22, 2011—FOUR OAKS, NC

This Saturday in Four Oaks, NC, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS) is providing free food to people in need. IFFS is bringing one of its refridgerated trucks full of healthy, nutritious food to a neighborhood hit hard by last week's tornadoes. Anyone impacted by the storms may come and "shop" for food. All of the food is free. Free Easter baskets will also be given to families with children. The market will be set up in front of the Dollar General located at 507 E Wellons Street. The event starts at 3pm.

On April 21th IFFS served more than 700 hot meals and 800 hot meals on Friday (April 22) night. This weekend, IFFS will serve more than 1,000 hot meals on Saturday (April 23) and another 1,000 on Sunday (April 24).

VIDEO COVERAGE: In their own words. Family - Tornado Hits Our Family's 6th Birthday  Shelly - Tornado Hit her Home Vet - Tornado Hits Our Home when 82 Year Old Mom was Home

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Action Tornado Disaster Relief - Kia Baker Hot Meals - Terri Hutter Food In, Food Prepared & Food Out - Jill Staton Bullard

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP

1. Come receive free, hot meals, prepared by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s culinary program, at these locations in the heart of where the tornadoes hit in downtown Raleigh:

Helping Hand Mission of Raleigh 623 Rock Quarry Road Raleigh, NC 27610

•  Thursday, April 21 after 4 PM,
•  Friday, April 22 after 4 PM,
•  Saturday, April 23 after 11 AM, and
•  Sunday, April 24 (EASTER) after 11 AM.

Boys & Girls Club (Meals available at the Girls Club Building) 701 N. Raleigh Boulevard Raleigh, NC 27610

• Thursday, April 21 4:30 PM – 6 PM,
• Friday, April 22 4:30 PM – 6 PM,
• Saturday, April 23 Noon – 1 PM, and
• Sunday, April 24 Noon – 1PM.

2. Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC to receive emergency supplies of food

3. Or call the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle at (919) 250-0043 to find a partner agency distributing food.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP

1. Donate online www.foodshuttle.org
2. Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC to donate food or volunteer.

• Volunteer - No need to call, just come. We are accepting volunteers all week to help sort nonperishable food in the warehouse and staff our emergency food pick up table. Volunteers may come between 8am and 4pm and should wear closed-toed shoes and dress for the weather. The warehouse might be warm.
• Donate Food - Items most needed:
  • WATER and juice
  • pop top fruit cups and meats like tuna and chicken
  • Deli items such as sandwiches and salads
  • Snack items such as granola bars and snack crackers
  • Cereal

3. Donate Money/Gas Cards

IFFS is distributing an average of ten tons of emergency food each day to people impacted by the tornadoes and serving hot meals where the tornadoes hit hardest. In addition to running these emergency services, IFFS trucks are on the roads delivering healthy, nutritious food throughout the Triangle to 212 partner agencies and performing direct distribution programs through mobile markets, grocery bags, BackBack Buddies and community gardens programs. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is providing food to the Red Cross and NC Baptist Men and supplementing their distribution efforts. Smithfield Foods donated more than 5,000 pounds of pork to IFFS’s emergency hot meal service.

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce for low-income community members for 21 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has partnered with Share Our Strength to run Cooking Matters classes in the Triangle since 2008. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and an United Way Agency of Excellence.

MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Hartzell (919) 414-2069 or Jill Staton Bullard (919) 812-1885.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Sets Up Emergency Pick Up and Drop Off Location at 1001 Blair Drive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Apr 19, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS) is distributing food directly to people impacted by the Tornadoes. People experiencing food hardship may come to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle headquarters, located at 1001 Blair Drive (off of Centennial Drive near the State Farmers Market). IFFS Staff and volunteers are in the parking lot distributing food and accepting donations.

If You or Someone You Know Needs Food

Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC to receive emergency supplies of food Or call (919) 250-0043 to find a partner agency distributing food

If You Would Like to Help

Donate online www.foodshuttle.org

Come to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, in Raleigh, NC to volunteer or to donate food. No need to call, just come. We are accepting volunteers all week to help sort nonperishable food in the warehouse. Volunteers may come between 8am and 4pm and should wear closed-toed shoes and dress for the weather. The warehouse might be warm.

Donate Food. Items most needed:

• WATER and juice
• pop top fruit cups and meats like tuna and chicken
• Deli items such as sandwiches and salads
• Snack items such as granola bars and snack crackers
• Cereal

· Donate Money/Gas Cards

In addition to running this emergency service, IFFS trucks are on the roads delivering healthy, nutritious food throughout the Triangle to 212 partner agencies, including the Red Cross, and performing direct distribution programs through mobile markets, grocery bags, BackBack Buddies and community gardens programs.

Members of the media please contact: Melissa Hartzell (919) 414-2069 or Jill Staton Bullard (919) 812-1885. Members of the public call (919) 250-0043.

###

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE

The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce and food for low-income community members for more than 22 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and United Way Agency of Excellence.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Delivers Emergency Food to Triangle Without Power of Phones at Headquarters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Apr 18, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

Responding to the emergency need for food in the Triangle after this weekend's series of tornadoes, the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is delivering food today to non-profit agencies across the Triangle. Without power or phones, more than ten refrigerated trucks are on the roads delivering healthy, nutritious food. IFFS staff members are using cell phones to assess the needs of the 212 partner agencies, rerouting trucks and sending food to soup kitchens, pantries and other emergency agencies so they can feed victims of the storm and members of the community experiencing food hardship.

Jill Staton Bullard, the co-founder and executive director of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, commented, "All of us here at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle are working to collect food and deliver it to people who have lost everything and to people who are hungry. Beyond the network of our agencies, we are delivering to parking lots where people are in need."

To make food donations, please call Don Eli (919)609-0939 To make monetary donations, please donate online www.foodshuttle.org. Members of the media please contact: Melissa Hartzell (919) 414-2069 or Jill Staton Bullard (919) 812-1885.

###

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce and food for low-income community members for more than 22 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and United Way Agency of Excellence.

The Food Effect

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Apr 07, 2011—RALEIGH, NC

The North Carolina Association of Feeding America Food Banks and the North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) have joined to launch an Internet-based campaign to combat childhood hunger in the state.

The effort is called The Food Effect. It is being driven by an online network designed to unite people in the fight against childhood hunger and the negative impact it can have on childhood development.

Introduced in early April, The Food Effect website (TheFoodEffect.org) is enabling people to give money or time to the food bank in their area via one of N. C.'s seven regional food bank organizations, and to create discussion of the hunger issue within their social networks.

The campaign is in reaction to the fact that North Carolina continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment and is among the nation's worst states in the number of citizens in need of food. This holds true even more for North Carolina's children. According to a Feeding America study, North Carolina is tied with Louisiana for the highest percentage of hungry children one in four under age five.

Alan Briggs, executive director of the N. C. Association of Feeding America Food Banks, said, "We have been fortunate to be generously supported in North Carolina. However, the hunger problem is growing exponentially in a time when resources are under great strain."

Jill Staton Bullard, the co-founder and executive director of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, commented, "All of us here at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle are excited about this statewide partnership and look forward to a sustained fundraising success that will help support our innovative solutions to create a hunger-free community."

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. These solutions focus on addressing the two major factors that create food hardship: Lack of Income and Lack of Access to nutritious food with a specific focus on addressing nutrition and health by delivering appropriate foods such as fresh local produce. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is one of North Carolina's seven regional food bank organizations.

Bullard added, "The Food Effect will help increase awareness, solicit support, and acquire the food and funds necessary to help the more than 249,200 people experiencing food hardship in the greater Triangle".

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has served the Greater Triangle area since 1989, working to alleviate the ever- growing problem of hunger. IFFS actively serves children, adults, families and the elderly through proactive hunger relief programs including local fresh food recovery, job training programs in both culinary and farm skills, nutrition education through Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters classes, and by helping to grow the Community Garden movement.

Deborah Johnson, chief executive officer of the NCPC, commented, "Our industry is in a unique position to help the food banks drive this campaign. We are also proud to be associated with the Feeding America food banks and commend them on their invaluable work over the years."

During 2010, North Carolina's Feeding America food banks distributed more than 100 million pounds of nutritious food and other grocery products to more than 1,434,000 different North Carolinians.

The campaign's kickoff was announced on April 7 at a joint press conference held by Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and N. C. House Speaker Thom Tillis.

Working as a statewide coalition, members of The Food Effect will attempt to communicate with anyone showing interest in the issue, including relevant organizations' memberships, church members, students, professionals, hourly workers, members of Congress, state legislators and the media.

For more information about the Food Effect, contact Melissa Hartzell at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle office (919) 250-0043, mobile (919) 414-2069 or email Melissa@foodshuttle.org.

Raleigh Soroptimists to Confer Awards for Women

Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC will host its annual Triangle Women of Distinction Awards Celebration on April 14. Three signature awards of Soroptimist International will be presented. A keynote presentation by local award-winning CEO and Senior Marketing Strategist Olalah Njenga will follow a reception and silent auction. Five area women, including Jill Staton Bullard, founding Executive Director of the Inter-faith Food Shuttle, will be honored. Three signature awards of Soroptimist International will be presented by Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC at its Triangle Women of Distinction Awards Celebration on April 14. The event, beginning with a reception and silent auction, from 6 to 9 PM at The Woman's Club of Raleigh, 3300 Woman's Club Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612. Olalah Njenga,award-winning CEO and Senior Marketing Strategist with the YellowWood Group will inspire attendees as she addresses the topic, "Is This Your Breakthrough Year?" Angela Hampton, Community Affairs Specialist and host of Heart of Carolina Perspectives on ABC11, will preside as Mistress of Ceremonies.

Local Soroptimist President Pamela Sinclair states, "This event is an important part of our program in Raleigh. Two of the awards help our recipients financially and two include contributions to other non-profit organizations. We are proud to present these awards and we rely on this annual celebration to honor the recipients, bring awareness of our program, and raise funds for projects that improve women's lives."

The three awards include: the Woman's Opportunity Award, which helps a woman with a family to support improve her economic status through education and training; the Violet Richardson Award, which recognizes a young lady between 14 and 17 for her exemplary volunteer efforts, and also includes a donation to her chosen nonprofit; and the Soroptimist Ruby Award, given in honor of a woman in the community who has made an extraordinary difference for women through her professional or personal activities.

The Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women will recognize Jill Staton Bullard, Executive Director of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. A $500 donation will be made in her honor. Bullard co-founded the Food Shuttle with her friend Maxine Solomon in 1989 and was its first active volunteer. Her charisma and passion have propelled the organization's growth from a small grass-roots movement to a driving force in the fight against hunger. Under Bullard's leadership, two programs of particular import to women have been implemented: BackPack Buddies serves mothers and families by providing weekend food to children who are otherwise fed through the weekday programs in the schools; and the Culinary Training Program which provides skills that lead to long term employment. More than 150 women have graduated since its inception in 1989, with 70% maintaining employment with a living wage.

Elizabeth Stewart, a senior at St. David's School in Raleigh, will receive the Violet Richardson Award for her work with Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTNow), an organization seeking to stop trafficking by working to identify and prosecute perpetrators. She will receive $750 and SCTNow will be given $250 in her honor.

The Woman's Opportunity Award will be presented to Venus Flores, who helped raise her own siblings, then became a mother to four children: two of her own and two she took in when their father was incarcerated. She states "I want to work hard so I can give my family the life I couldn't have." The $1500 unrestricted grant will assure her ability to get her Associate's Degree in Substance Abuse Counseling at Vance-Granville Community College in 2011. Flores' ultimate goal is a Bachelor's Degree, and operation of an after-school center that will keep children safe and out of harm's way. Two runners-up will each receive $500.

Local recipients of the Violet Richardson Award and the Woman's Opportunity Award are also considered for further recognition at higher levels of the Soroptimist International organization. Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC has awarded $20,000 through its awards program since 2005. More information about the event and the organization is available at their website, www.soroptimist.org, or by calling Soroptimist at 919-386-9910.

Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC Founded in 1921, Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization of business and professional women. The name, Soroptimist, means "Best for Women." The mission of Soroptimist is to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC, chartered in 1987, is a 501(c) (3) organization solely run and operated by volunteers. Locally, Soroptimist is focused on helping women achieve economic independence, ending domestic violence against women and their Triangle Women of Distinction Awards. For more information on ways to help, how to donate or how to become a volunteer, and/or become a member, visit www.soroptimistraleigh.org.

Unprecedented New Study Paints a Detailed Portrait of Food Insecurity in Greater Triangle

GREATER TRIANGLE FACES 15 PERCENTILE FOR FOOD INSECURITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mar 24, 2011

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, today released a landmark study, “Map the Meal Gap,” providing the first detailed look at the food budget needed by families struggling with hunger here in the Greater Triangle Area each year – an estimated $687,208,350.

“Tonight there are nearly a quarter of a million people facing food hardship in the Triangle,” said co-Founder and Executive Director Jill Staton Bullard. “Nearly 16% of our neighbors may be hungry. Income and access to healthy food are the barriers for families desperate to bring home healthy nutritious meals.”

The study takes a look at ‘meals’ in a whole new way, using county-level data on food costs from The Nielsen Company to break down the food budget shortfall of our residents into an approximation of the meals missing from the tables of people at risk of hunger in the Triangle each year.

“Map the Meal Gap” showed thatthe average cost of a meal in the Triangle is close to the National average cost of a meal $2.54 and that food insecurity remains a major problem in North Carolina,” said Bullard.

Map the Meal Gap provides the following data for the Greater Triangle in the United States in an interactive map format:

• 15.8% of the Triangle population is food insecure: 27.6% Edgecombe County, 20.7%, Nash County, 17% Johnston County, 16.7% Durham county, 14.7 % Orange county, 14.5% Chatham, and 14.3% Wake County .
• 65% of the food insecure population in the Triangle qualify based on income for SNAP (Foods Stamps) and other federal nutrition programs.
• 35% of the food insecure population in the Triangle do NOT qualify for federal nutrition programs and often rely on charitable food assistance programs.
• They need better wages and employment opportunities to help them meet their basic needs.
•  The average price per meal is $2.49, based on new research by The Nielsen Company.

“The interactive map will, for the first time, allow policy makers, state agencies, corporate partners and individual advocates to look at the same data in order to develop integrated strategies to fight hunger on a community by community level,” concluded Bullard.

The findings of “Map the Meal Gap” are based on statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau, and food price data from The Nielsen Company. The study was supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation and Nielsen.

ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE

The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has been increasing access to healthy, fresh produce for low-income community members for 21 years. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle pioneers innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has partnered with Share Our Strength to run Cooking Matters classes in the Triangle since 2008. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a non-traditional Food Bank of Feeding America and an United Way Agency of Excellence. For more information visit www.foodshuttle.org.

ABOUT FEEDING AMERICA

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to 37 million Americans each year, including nearly 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.