In North Carolina, 9% of seniors struggle with hunger. According to Feeding America, the rate of hunger among seniors aged 60 and older has increased by 38% since 2001. Adults living at low- or fixed-incomes face specific challenges placing them at high risk for malnutrition, health and dental issues, limited mobility, lack of transportation, social isolation, and cognitive decline. The unfortunate reality is that many seniors are often faced with making difficult choices between food and medical bills, or food and keeping the heat on.
At the beginning of 2021, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle will launch a pilot program to address various facets surrounding the issue of senior hunger. The Food Access and Education for Rural Seniors (FAERS) program will serve seniors living with Type 2 Diabetes in Chatham and Johnston counties. This new program will provide 100 seniors with nutrient-dense food including fresh produce, a $30 grocery store gift card, and wrap-around support including recipes, distance nutritional education, and health presentations administered via phone calls. The FAERS program is free for all participants and will provide all services on a monthly basis from January to September 2021, focusing on Black and Hispanic seniors over the age of 60. The outcomes for this project will be linked to health improvements for this targeted group of high-risk seniors.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to expand our reach and pilot a new program implementation strategy to safely reach more seniors. We look forward to building lasting new partnerships in Johnston and Chatham counties that will have great benefits for senior health while working to decrease the rate of senior hunger in our state.” Said Piniel Tadesse, Community Health Education Programs Manager.
The $100,000 grant, funded by multiple generous Feeding America network donors, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, will enable the Food Shuttle to increase the number of meals provided to seniors, as well as the number of seniors served, and to better meet their needs through increased senior-only distributions. The plan is to conduct pre, post, and monthly follow-up surveys with participants to evaluate program success. Survey materials will be provided by mail and collected during food distributions. The FAERS program will also serve as a vehicle through which the Food Shuttle can begin new collaborations with community partners who work with seniors along with new program implementation strategies.