The Carolina Hurricanes—those masters on the ice—are focusing on another goal in partnership with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: that of child hunger. The partnership between the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation and the Food Shuttle is entering the second of a three-year agreement that sets its sights on tackling the issue of child hunger in rural communities and is supported through the aptly named GOAL Grant with generous total funding of $150,000.
Focusing efforts in Johnston, Nash, and Edgecombe counties, the GOAL Grant features initiatives geared toward expanding existing programs like BackPack Buddies and School Pantries, and establishing new opportunities, such as holding mini Mobile Markets in conjunction with school events.
This partnership between the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation and the Food Shuttle seeks to reach those communities that are historically underserved by hunger relief efforts. Johnston, Nash, and Edgecombe are the counties of greatest need in the Food Shuttle’s service area, with child food insecurity rates of 16.5%, 21.3%, and 29.5%, respectively (Feeding America “Map the Meal Gap”, 2019). Funding from the GOAL Grant will undergird existing program offerings while folding in incremental strategic expansions that will allow the Food Shuttle to continue efforts long after the grant period expires.
As with so much else in daily life, COVID-19 disrupted some elements of Year 1 plans for the GOAL Grant when the school year was interrupted and reformatted. With life returning to a more normal semblance, plans are back on track. One mini Mobile Markets was recently held at West Smithfield Elementary School in Johnston County, where families received boxes of non-perishable food items, produce boxes, and hygiene items.
Expanding BackPack Buddies in elementary and middle schools; opening new and reoutfitting existing School Pantries in elementary, middle, and high schools; incorporating more high-cost hygiene items that are not covered by SNAP benefits into School Pantries; supporting production at the Food Shuttle Farm—all of these initiatives and more are built into the GOAL Grant three-year plan, and will make great strides toward strategically addressing child hunger in the communities targeted by the plan.
“We are proud to partner with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle to help combat hunger insecurity in our community. The number of children that are food insecure is too high and has increased with the impact of COVID. With Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s direction, we have been able to adapt our funding to include alternative ways to get food directly to children in our community,” said Jon Chase, Executive Director of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.
With a leg up from the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation GOAL Grant, the Food Shuttle can continue to build momentum around increased service to the rural community neighbors it serves. Working together, it’s a winning goal.
