The Real Face of Hunger

Western North Carolina families and residents continue to face an uphill battle when it comes to basic affordability. Our communities are facing the highest housing costs in the state, forcing people to move further and further from central areas where jobs are mostly based. A lack of public transportation further complicates this issue, particularly when most working families are one or two paychecks away from being unable to pay their basic bills, and most families can only barely afford to keep gas in the tank.

Our area is also home to an unthinkably high child food insecurity rate. In the 16 counties of WNC that MANNA serves, 1 in 4 children face an empty plate, and do not know where their next meal will come from.

We are grateful to our local and regional media partners for working hard this month to highlight, and keep on the forefront, the serious issue of hunger, and what it means to our community. We strongly encourage you to read these personal accounts, putting a very real face on the issue of hunger.

Faces of Hunger: Carolina Public Press Reports

https://carolinapublicpress.org/hunger-food-insecurity-in-western-north-carolina/

Do the Math: WLOS News 13 Reports

It doesn’t take much number crunching to understand why so many people in our region – over 100,000 people every year – are struggling to afford the food they and their families need to live. Some very basic budget calculations show how quickly things add up, particularly when you’re paycheck can barely cover the rent.

WLOS News 13: Do the Math 

Mobile Markets: WLOS News 13 Reports

MANNA and our anti-hunger partners across the region continue to adapt in order to reach people in the rural and isolated areas of our mountainous terrain. Pop-up markets continue to push more fresh foods and grocery staples into areas lacking resources as we all work towards bridging the grocery gap for our neighbors.

WLOS News 13: Break the Hunger