COVID-19 has left many North Carolinians (adults, kids, and seniors) in the desperate place of turning to relief agencies for help in securing food. Fresh, nutritious food -- the key to long-term health -- is being grown locally at farms across the state, but agencies often can't afford it, and farms can't afford to give it away. Your support bridges that gap, ensuring that local farms can stay in business and hungry people can eat well. Together, we can build a resilient local food system.
When COVID-19 hit and many businesses were forced to close to prevent the spread of the disease, family-run farms saw sales plummet overnight. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people in North Carolina lost their jobs and are now struggling to find food for their families. The nutritious food that these families need exists locally, but relief agencies don't have the food budgets to support the swell in demand.
Farmer Foodshare has existing relationships with 50+ local farms and dozens of nonprofits/schools across NC. Your gift will become "Fresh Food Funds." 1. Organizations use the funds to buy more fresh produce from local farms through Farmer Foodshare. Farms always get paid for what they grow! 2. Farmer Foodshare sources and delivers the food -- safely. Our trucks are on the road daily. 3. Community partners then pack food boxes or individual meals to distribute to neighbors in need.
Consuming fresh food is a key driver of people's long-term health and well-being, but there are many barriers preventing people from accessing it. Farmer Foodshare removes those barriers, while also helping farmers stay in business, which is critical for building resilient food systems. Fresh Food Funds help sustain the progress we have made in recent years by ensuring a continuous supply of locally grown fresh food for tens of thousands of people -- even during a pandemic.
