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By Liz Reasoner

Executive Director

Food Bank of the Albemarle

The Food Bank of the Albemarle has 100 hunger-relief partners that include over 145 unique programs including: food pantries, soup kitchens, day care centers, backpack programs, mobile food pantries, shelters, adult day care centers, supplemental nutrition programs and more. Every effort is made to reach into all parts of our service area.

Food Bank of the Albemarle is a member of Feeding America and Feeding the Carolinas, which includes ten food banks in North and South Carolina. In August of 2017, members of the North Carolina Association of Food Banks and members of the South Carolina Association of Food Banks finalized the new alliance with a mission to “engage, educate and unite to achieve food security for all in the Carolinas.”

In the two Carolinas there are approximately 2.6 million people living in poverty.  The two state associations  have united to form Feeding the Carolinas, with a vision of “feeding more people better food” across all 146 counties in North and South Carolina.  The alliance will work together to raise food, funds, advocate and educate while at the same time exploring economics of scale in purchasing products and services.

Food banks do not just buy food but perform the double service of putting food products to use instead of to waste. The net result is that 95 percent of every dollar is turned into food for the table, and every dollar donated buys the equivalent of at least seven dollars’ worth of food.

Food Bank of the Albemarle is a member of Feeding America,  a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provides food and services to people each year. Together, they are the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization. The network serves virtually every community in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

How do food banks work? The process of getting food to hungry Americans requires a dynamic infrastructure and sophisticated management. Feeding America secures donations from national food and grocery manufacturers, retailers, shippers, packers and growers and from government agencies and other organizations. Feeding America then moves donated food and grocery products to member food banks.

Food pantries in turn distribute food and grocery items through food pantries and meal programs that serve families, children, seniors and others at risk of hunger. Last year alone, the Feeding America network distributed more than 4 billion meals to people in need.

Feeding America nationwide network of food banks also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger.

To learn more visit Feeding America’s web site at www.feedingamerica.org

Food Bank of the Albemarle serves people in Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

For information about Food Bank of the Albemarle visit www.afoodbank.org.