MANNA FoodBank Celebrates State Investment in Hunger Relief Across North Carolina

State funding will help North Carolina’s seven major food banks purchase and distribute nutritious food as demand continues to rise.

MANNA FoodBank is celebrating a statewide investment of more than $9 million to support hunger relief across North Carolina. Included in the state’s new budget, the funding will help the state’s seven major food banks purchase and distribute North Carolina-produced agricultural products to neighbors facing food insecurity in every county.

For Western North Carolina, this investment comes at a critical time. Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated the region, many families continue to navigate high food and housing costs, economic uncertainty and a long recovery. MANNA and its partner network are serving more neighbors than at any other point in the organization’s history.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, MANNA’s food distribution network averaged more than 65,000 visits each month. Before Hurricane Helene, that number had risen to approximately 158,000. Today, neighbors are making more than 220,000 visits each month across MANNA’s network of partner agencies, schools and community distribution programs serving 16 counties and the Qualla Boundary.

A portion of the statewide funding will support MANNA’s purchase of North Carolina-grown, produced or processed foods, along with the costs of distributing that food throughout Western North Carolina. The investment will help MANNA maintain a consistent supply of nutritious food while supporting the staff, transportation and distribution systems needed to move it efficiently across the organization’s service area.

Purchasing from North Carolina producers helps nourish neighbors while also providing an additional market for farmers and food producers. These investments circulate resources through rural economies and contribute to a more resilient regional food system. MANNA currently works with more than 70 farm partners, primarily in North Carolina and nearby South Carolina communities.

“This investment comes at an incredibly important moment for our region,” said Claire Neal, Chief Executive Officer of MANNA FoodBank. “These funds will help us purchase nutritious food from North Carolina farmers and producers and support the systems needed to distribute it throughout Western North Carolina. We are deeply grateful to the members of the General Assembly, Governor Stein and advocates across the state who came together to make this investment in our neighbors and agricultural communities possible.”

While this investment will have a meaningful impact, it will not fully offset the scale of the challenges facing families and hunger-relief organizations. Upcoming federal cost shifts and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, could place additional financial and administrative pressure on states while affecting how some families access nutrition assistance.

Any reduction or disruption in SNAP benefits could cause more neighbors to turn to food banks and community pantries that are already responding to historic demand. Food banks play an essential role in meeting urgent needs, but charitable food assistance cannot replace the scale and reach of SNAP. For every meal provided through food banks, SNAP provides nine.

Continued state and federal investment in nutrition programs will be necessary to keep the gap between available food resources and community need from growing even wider. MANNA will continue working alongside its partners, donors, volunteers, community advocates and elected officials to protect access to nutrition assistance and ensure families and individuals throughout Western North Carolina can obtain the food they need.

“This funding shows what is possible when leaders recognize food security as an investment in the health, dignity and resilience of our communities,” Neal said. “We are grateful for this commitment and look forward to working with state leaders, farmers and community partners to build a stronger food system in which everyone in Western North Carolina has reliable access to nutritious food.”