School’s out, but meals continue for food-insecure kids

UNSPLASH

Mooresville-based FeedNC's summer initiative provides meals to children who are more likely to face food insecurity during the school break.

The end of school is the start of food insecurity for low-income students.

Mooresville-based FeedNC aims to feed lower-income communities with a summer lunch program, using a food truck donated by West United Methodist Church of Mooresville. The nonprofit serves Iredell, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Rowan counties respectively.

FeedNC CEO Lara Ingram said that after modifications to the truck, it will deliver food to three locations in downtown Mooresville every Thursday in June and July. Additionally, every Friday, the truck will deliver groceries in food deserts in nearby counties.

“What we were thinking about was that over the summer, you have a lot of children at home, and especially in lower-income communities, those parents are working, and they may not be home,” Ingram said. “So, we knew that if we could take the truck on the road and get fun, healthy food out to kids and the be able to also interact with them and give them some information, then their parents might be able to come and sign up for all of our services and maybe they could come to us down the road.”

According to No Child Hungry, one in five children – more than 13 million kids – in the United States are food insecure as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity is defined as households that struggle to provide enough food for everyone living there at some point during the year.

As a result, children who rely on school meals may not get enough food in the summer, skip meals or not have enough one month to the next.

USDA reported than 17 million households – 12.8% of the U.S. total – were food insecure in 2022 compared to 13.5 million the year before and 13.8 million in 2020. In Mecklenburg County, nearly 15% of  households are considered food insecure, according to the county health department.

Living in a food desert is more likely to lead to poor diet, which also contribute to obesity and maladies like diabetes and heart disease.

FeedNC leverages its 26,000 square foot facility, which features a community dining room for its Culinary Workforce Development Program, a 12-week course with hands-on training and real-world culinary experience. When the course is completed, FeedNC connects graduates with business partners and local restaurants for employment opportunities.

Ingram said the dining hall provides free food, with breakfast and lunch options that are cooked to order. Options on the menu are based around healthy choices and balanced diet.

Typical breakfast options include power bowls of fruits, vegetables, granola, bacon, eggs, waffles and other proteins. Lunch options vary from vegetarian options like bowls containing quinoa and chicken to chicken wings, salads, soups and various sandwiches and paninis.

To teach children more about healthy eating habits, FeedNC hosts a summer camp where lunches are provided, and children are exposed to foods they may have never heard of.

“We try to have the kids try something different every day, something they’ve never seen before,” Ingram said. “So, they might have ants on a log, where you put celery, and then you put peanut butter, and then raisins on the peanut butter.”

To educate children about the origins of what they eat, FeedNC grows its own fruits and vegetables in addition to donations from food truck partners like Food Lion.

“They’re getting food that really feeds their souls and their bodies well, and not just canned goods and packaged goods that can last forever,” Ingram said.

FeedNC aims to provide a communal atmosphere where everyone is committed to giving back.

“I just love everything about the fact that what we do brings people together on every level,” Ingram said. “It brings people together to volunteer and give back because they believe in what they’re doing. It brings donors together who are willing to pitch their hard-earned money that they’ve raised over the years and they’re willing to give that to us because they see the results.”

Another benefit is the welcoming space regardless of economic status.

“When you come in our building, there are no lines,” Ingram said. “There are no dingy dark rooms where you wait for food. It feels like you are entering a beautiful, comfortable, hopeful space, so when you come in here, nobody knows who is getting helped, who is a volunteer, staff person, or community member.”

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